Genes encoding telomerase protein 1

ABSTRACT

Disclosed are nucleic acid molecules encoding polypeptides that specifically bind telomerase RNA. Also disclosed are methods of preparing the nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides, and methods of using these molecules.

This application is a divisional of U.S. Ser. No. 08/751,189, filed Nov. 15, 1996, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to novel genes encoding polypeptides that comprise a component of the telomerase enzyme complex, as well as to methods of making the genes and polypeptides.

BACKGROUND

1. Related Art

Many physiological changes occur as humans age. In addition to those observed at the phenotypic level such as change in hair color, appearance of skin, decreased lean body mass, etc., there are many changes at the cellular and biochemical levels. One such change that has been observed is a marked decrease in the length of telomeres in somatic cells as they age (Harley et al., Nature, 345:458-460 [1990]). Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences that are localized to the ends of every chromosome, and are necessary for proper chromosome maintenance, replication, and localization of the chromosomes within the cell nucleus.

In most organisms, telomeres are synthesized and maintained by an enzyme known as telomerase. Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein composed of RNA and protein components, and both types of components are necessary for activity (see for example, Greider, Annu. Rev. Biochem., 65:337-365 [1996]; Greider et al., in Cellular Aging and Cell Death, Wiley-Liss Inc., New York, N.Y., pp. 123-138 [1996]).

Most cells of adult humans do not have telomerase activity; exceptions include, for example, germline tissues (sperm cells and oocytes) and certain blood cells (Greider et al., Cellular Aging and Cell Death, supra). Decreased telomere length correlates well with decreased replicative capacity of cells in culture (referred to as cellular senescence or cell age). It has been postulated that shortened telomeres may be involved in the inability of cells to continue dividing (Harley, supra; Levy et al., J. Mol. Biol., 225:951-960 [1992]; and Harley et al., Cold Spring Harbor Symposium on Quantitative Biology, 59:307-315 [1994]), thereby contributing to senescence of the cells.

Recently, it has been shown that the telomeres of one class of white blood cells, called CD28-/CD8+ T-cells, are significantly shorter in AIDS patients as compared with the same cells obtained from healthy persons of the same or similar age (Effros et al., AIDS, 10:17-22 [1996]).

In many human cancerous cells, it has been shown that telomere length does not decrease, and telomerase activity is present, regardless of the age of these cells (Kim et al., Science, 266:2011-2015 [1994]; and Counter et al., EMBO J., 11:1921-1929 [1992]). It has been suggested that inhibition of telomerase in cancer cells might serve to decrease the proliferation of these cells (Harley et al., Cold Spring Harbor Symposium on Quantitative Biology, supra; and Greider et al., Cellular Aging and Cell Death, supra).

The RNA component of telomerase in several mammals has been cloned and sequenced (see PCT patent application WO 96/01835, published Jan. 25, 1995; Blasco et al., Science, 269:1267-1270 [1995]; Feng et al., Science, 269:1236-1241 [1995]), and it has been demonstrated that this RNA component is necessary for telomerase activity (Blasco et al., supra; Feng et al., supra; oral presentations at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Conference on Telomeres and Telomerase, Nov. 3-6 1996). In mouse tumor models, an increase in telomerase RNA correlates with increased tumor progression (Blasco et al., Nature Genetics, 12:200-204 [1996]). However, Avilion et al. (Cancer Res., 56:645-650 [1996]) showed that the presence of telomerase RNA in various human tumor tissues and cell lines was not a good predictor of the presence or amount of telomerase activity in these tissues and cell lines.

In ciliates (single celled eukaryotic organisms), it has been found that the protein portion of telomerase is comprised of two distinct polypeptides, termed p80 and p95 (see PCT patent application WO 96/19580, published Jun. 27, 1995; Harrington et al., J. Biol. Chem, 270:8893-8901 [1995]; and Collins et al., Cell, 81:677-686 [1995]). Recently, two telomerase polypeptides of molecular weight 120 kDa and 43 kDa have reportedly been purified in Euplotes, a single-celled eukaryotic organism (Lingner et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 93:10712-10717 [1996]). Prior to the present invention, the protein component or components of mammalian telomerase had not been identified.

Recently, a 347 base pair nucleic acid molecule was deposited in the public database Genbank as accession number H33937. This nucleic acid molecule was apparently identified from rat PC-12 cells that had been treated with NGF (neurotrophic growth factor). No function for this nucleic acid molecule or the protein encoded by it is set forth in the Genbank database information, however, a portion of this molecule has been found to be highly homologous to a region of the mouse telomerase RNA interacting protein 1 (TRIP1) of the present invention.

In view of the devastating effects of cancer and AIDS, there is a need in the art to identify molecules in the human body which may have an important role in the etiology of these diseases, and to manipulate the expression of such molecules in patients suffering from these and related diseases.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides that affect aging and/or proliferation of cells in the human body.

It is a further object to provide methods of altering the level of expression of such nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides in the human body.

Other related objects will readily be apparent from a reading of this disclosure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, the present invention provides a TRIP1 nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of: the nucleic acid molecule of SEQ ID NO:1; the nucleic acid molecule of SEQ ID NO:2; a nucleic acid molecule encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, or a biologically active fragment thereof; a nucleic acid molecule that encodes a polypeptide that is at least 70 percent identical to the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:3 or SEQ ID NO:4; a nucleic acid molecule that hybridizes under stringent conditions to any of the above nucleic acids; and a nucleic acid molecule that is the complement of any of the above nucleic acids.

In another embodiment, the invention provides a nucleic acid molecule encoding amino acids 1-871 of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:3.

In one other embodiment, the invention provides vectors comprising the nucleic acids listed above, where the vectors can be amplification or expression vectors, suitable for use in prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells. Also provided are host cells comprising these vectors, wherein the host cells may be prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells.

The invention additionally provides a process for producing a TRIP1 polypeptide comprising the steps of:

expressing a polypeptide encoded by the nucleic acid of claim 1 in a suitable host and isolating the polypeptide, wherein the TRIP1 polypeptide may be SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, or amino acids 1-871 of SEQ ID NO:3.

In yet another embodiment, the invention comprises a TRIP1 polypeptide selected from the group consisting of: the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:3; the polypeptide that is amino acids 1-871 of SEQ ID NO:3; a polypeptide that is at least 70 percent identical to one of these polypeptides, or a polypeptide that is a biologically active fragment of one of these polypeptides.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 (A-I) depicts the full length cDNA sequence of human TRIP1 (SEQ ID NO:1).

FIG. 2 (A-I) depicts the full length cDNA sequence of mouse TRIP1 (SEQ ID NO:2).

FIG. 3 (A-C) depicts the putative full length amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:3) of human TRIP1 as translated from the cDNA sequence.

FIG. 4 (A-C) depicts the putative full length amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:4) of mouse TRIP1 as translated from the cDNA sequence.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Included in the scope of this invention are TRIP1 (referred to herein as "TRIP1") polypeptides such as the polypeptides of SEQ ID NO:3 and SEQ ID NO:4, and related biologically active polypeptide fragments and derivatives thereof. Further included within the scope of the present invention are nucleic acid molecules that encode these polypeptides, and methods for preparing the polypeptides. Such molecules may be useful as therapeutic agents in those cases where increasing TRIP1 activity is desired.

In those situations in which TRIP1 activity is to be decreased, such as in cancer cells in which TRIP1 activity is elevated as compared to non-cancerous cells, TRIP1 may serve as a target to identify a molecule which inhibits TRIP1 activity. Techniques that may be useful in identifying such TRIP1 inhibiting molecules are described in detail below. Alternatively, ex vivo or in vivo gene therapy may be employed to administer either TRIP1 anti-sense molecules, or DNA constructs that may serve to disrupt or enhance TRIP1 expression in the cells.

Also included within the scope of the present invention are non-human mammals such as mice, rats, rabbits, goats, or sheep in which the gene (or genes) encoding native TRIP1 has been disrupted ("knocked out") such that the level of expression of this gene is significantly decreased or completely abolished. Such mammals may be prepared using techniques and methods such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,032. The present invention further includes non-human mammals such as mice, rats, rabbits, goats, or sheep in which the gene (or genes) encoding the TRIP1 (either the native form of TRIP1 for the mammal or a heterologous TRIP1 gene) is over expressed by the mammal, thereby creating a "transgenic" mammal. Such transgenic mammals may be prepared using well known methods such as those described in U.S. Pat. No 5,489,743 and PCT patent application Ser. No. WO94/28122, published Dec. 8, 1994.

The term "TRIP1 protein" or "TRIP1 polypeptide" as used herein refers to any protein or polypeptide having the properties described herein for TRIP1, or TRIP1. The small letter in front of the letters "TRIP1", when used, refers to a TRIP1 polypeptide from a particular mammal, i.e., "hTRIP1" refers to human TRIP1, and "mTRIP1" refers to mouse TRIP1. The TRIP1 polypeptide may or may not have an amino terminal methionine, depending on the manner in which it is prepared. By way of illustration, TRIP1 protein or TRIP1 polypeptide refers to (1) an amino acid sequence encoded by TRIP1 nucleic acid molecules as defined in any of items (a)-(f) below, and biologically active peptide or polypeptide fragments derived therefrom, (2) naturally occurring allelic variants of the TRIP1 gene which result in one or more amino acid substitutions, deletions, and/or insertions as compared to the TRIP1 polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:3 or SEQ ID NO:4, and/or (3) chemically modified derivatives as well as nucleic acid and or amino acid sequence variants thereof as provided for herein.

As used herein, the term "TRIP1 fragment" refers to a peptide or polypeptide that is less than the full length amino acid sequence of naturally occurring TRIP1 protein but has substantially the same biological activity as TRIP1 polypeptide or TRIP1 protein described above. Such a fragment may be truncated at the amino terminus, the carboxy terminus, and/or internally, and may be chemically modified. Such TRIP1 fragments may be prepared with or without an amino terminal methionine.

As used herein, the term "TRIP1 derivative" or "TRIP1 variant" refers to a TRIP1 polypeptide, protein, or fragment that 1) has been chemically modified, as for example, by addition of one or more polyethylene glycol molecules, sugars, phosphates, or other such molecules not naturally attached to wild-type TRIP1 polypeptide, and/or 2) contains one or more nucleic acid or amino acid sequence substitutions, deletions, and/or insertions as compared to TRIP1 set forth in FIGS. 3 or 4.

As used herein, the terms "biologically active polypeptide" and "biologically active fragment" refer to a TRIP1 peptide or polypeptide in accordance with the above description for TRIP1 that has at least one of the following activities which have been identified for TRIP1: (1) specifically binding to telomerase RNA; and (2) binding to an antibody that is directed to an epitope on the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:3 or SEQ ID NO:4.

As used herein, the term "TRIP1" when used to describe a nucleic acid molecule refers to a nucleic acid molecule or fragment thereof that (a) has the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:2; (b) has a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide that is at least 70 percent identical, but may be greater than 70 percent, i.e., 80 percent, 90 percent, or even greater than 90 percent identical, to the polypeptide encoded by any of SEQ ID NOS:1 or 2; (c) is a naturally occurring allelic variant of (a) or (b); (d) is a nucleic acid variant of (a)-(c) produced as provided for herein;(e) has a sequence that is complementary to (a)-(d); and/or (f) hybridizes to any of (a)-(e) under stringent conditions.

Percent sequence identity can be determined by standard methods that are commonly used to compare the similarity in position of the amino acids of two polypeptides. By way of example, using a computer program such as BLAST or FASTA, the two polypeptides for which the percent sequence identity is to be determined are aligned for optimal matching of their respective amino acids (the "matched span", which can include the full length of one or both sequences, or a predetermined portion of one or both sequences). Each computer program provides a "default" opening penalty and a "default" gap penalty, and a scoring matrix such as PAM 250. A standard scoring matrix (see Dayhoff et al., in: Atlas of Protein Sequence and Structure, vol. 5, supp.3 [1978]) can be used in conjunction with the computer program. The percent identity can then be calculated by determining the percent identity using an algorithm contained in a program such as FASTA: ##EQU1## Polypeptides that are at least 70 percent identical will typically have one or more amino acid substitutions, deletions, and/or insertions as compared with wild type TRIP1. Usually, the substitutions will be conservative so as to have little or no effect on the overall net charge, polarity, or hydrophobicity of the protein but optionally may increase the activity of TRIP1. Conservative substitutions are set forth in Table I below.

                  TABLE I                                                          ______________________________________                                         Conservative Amino Acid Substitutions                                          ______________________________________                                         Basic:              arginine                                                                         lysine                                                      histidine                                                                     Acidic: glutamic acid                                                           aspartic acid                                                                 Polar: glutamine                                                                asparagine                                                                    Hydrophobic: leucine                                                            isoleucine                                                                     valine                                                                        Aromatic: phenylalanine                                                         tryptophan                                                                     tyrosine                                                                      Small: glycine                                                                  alanine                                                                        serine                                                                         threonine                                                                      methionine                                                                  ______________________________________                                    

The term "stringent conditions" refers to hybridization and washing under conditions that permit only binding of a nucleic acid molecule such as an oligonucleotide or cDNA molecule probe to highly homologous sequences. One stringent wash solution is 0.015 M NaCl, 0.005 M NaCitrate, and 0.1 percent SDS used at a temperature of 55° C.-65° C. Another stringent wash solution is 0.2×SSC and 0.1 percent SDS used at a temperature of between 50° C.-65° C. Where oligonucleotide probes are used to screen cDNA or genomic libraries, the following stringent washing conditions may be used. One protocol uses 6×SSC with 0.05 percent sodium pyrophosphate at a temperature of 35° C.-62° C., depending on the length of the oligonucleotide probe. For example, 14 base pair probes are washed at 35-40° C., 17 base pair probes are washed at 45-50° C., 20 base pair probes are washed at 52-57° C., and 23 base pair probes are washed at 57-63° C. The temperature can be increased 2-3° C. where the background non-specific binding appears high. A second protocol utilizes tetramethylammonium chloride (TMAC) for washing oligonucleotide probes. One stringent washing solution is 3 M TMAC, 50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.0, and 0.2 percent SDS. The washing temperature using this solution is a function of the length of the probe. For example, a 17 base pair probe is washed at about 45-50° C.

As used herein, the terms "effective amount" and "therapeutically effective amount" refer to the amount of TRIP1 necessary to support one or more biological activities of TRIP1 as set forth above.

The TRIP1 polypeptides that have use in practicing the present invention may be naturally occurring full length polypeptides, or truncated polypeptides or peptides (i.e, "fragments"). The polypeptides or fragments may be chemically modified, i.e., glycosylated, phosphorylated, and/or linked to a polymer, as described below, and they may have an amino terminal methionine, depending on how they are prepared. In addition, the polypeptides or fragments may be variants of the naturally occurring TRIP1 polypeptide (i.e., may contain one or more amino acid deletions, insertions, and/or substitutions as compared with naturally occurring TRIP1).

The full length TRIP1 polypeptide or fragment thereof can be prepared using well known recombinant DNA technology methods such as those set forth in Sambrook et al. (Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. [1989]) and/or Ausubel et al., eds, (Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Green Publishers Inc. and Wiley and Sons, N.Y. [1994]). A gene or cDNA encoding the TRIP1 protein or fragment thereof may be obtained for example by screening a genomic or cDNA library, or by PCR amplification. Alternatively, a gene encoding the TRIP1 polypeptide or fragment may be prepared by chemical synthesis using methods well known to the skilled artisan such as those described by Engels et al. (Angew. Chem. Intl. Ed., 28:716-734 [1989]). These methods include, inter alia, the phosphotriester, phosphoramidite, and H-phosphonate methods for nucleic acid synthesis. A preferred method for such chemical synthesis is polymer-supported synthesis using standard phosphoramidite chemistry. Typically, the DNA encoding the TRIP1 polypeptide will be several hundred nucleotides in length. Nucleic acids larger than about 100 nucleotides can be synthesized as several fragments using these methods. The fragments can then be ligated together to form the full length TRIP1 polypeptide. Usually, the DNA fragment encoding the amino terminus of the polypeptide will have an ATG, which encodes a methionine residue. This methionine may or may not be present on the mature form of the TRIP1 polypeptide, depending on whether the polypeptide produced in the host cell is secreted from that cell.

In some cases, it may be desirable to prepare nucleic acid and/or amino acid variants of naturally occurring TRIP1. Nucleic acid variants (wherein one or more nucleotides are designed to differ from the wild-type or naturally occurring TRIP1) may be produced using site directed mutagenesis or PCR amplification where the primer(s) have the desired point mutations (see Sambrook et al., supra, and Ausubel et al., supra, for descriptions of mutagenesis techniques). Chemical synthesis using methods described by Engels et al., supra, may also be used to prepare such variants. Other methods known to the skilled artisan may be used as well. Preferred nucleic acid variants are those containing nucleotide substitutions accounting for codon preference in the host cell that is to be used to produce TRIP1. Other preferred variants are those encoding conservative amino acid changes as described above (e.g., wherein the charge or polarity of the naturally occurring amino acid side chain is not altered substantially by substitution with a different amino acid) as compared to wild type, and/or those designed to either generate a novel glycosylation and/or phosphorylation site(s) on TRIP1, or those designed to delete an existing glycosylation and/or phosphorylation site(s) on TRIP1.

The TRIP1 gene or cDNA can be inserted into an appropriate expression vector for expression in a host cell. The vector is typically selected to be functional in the particular host cell employed (i.e., the vector is compatible with the host cell machinery such that amplification of the TRIP1 gene and/or expression of the gene can occur). The TRIP1 polypeptide or fragment thereof may be amplified/expressed in prokaryotic, yeast, insect (baculovirus systems) and/or eukaryotic host cells. Selection of the host cell will depend at least in part on whether the TRIP1 polypeptide or fragment thereof is to be glycosylated and/or phosphorylated. If so, yeast, insect, or mammalian host cells are preferable; yeast cells can typically glycosylate and phosphorylate the polypeptide, and insect and mammalian cells can glycosylate and/or phosphorylate the polypeptide as it naturally occurs on the TRIP1 polypeptide (i.e., "native" glycosylation and/or phosphorylation).

Typically, the vectors used in any of the host cells will contain 5' flanking sequence (also referred to as a "promoter") and other regulatory elements as well such as an enhancer(s), an origin of replication element, a transcriptional termination element, a complete intron sequence containing a donor and acceptor splice site, a signal peptide sequence, a ribosome binding site element, a polyadenylation sequence, a polylinker region for inserting the nucleic acid encoding the polypeptide to be expressed, and a selectable marker element. Each of these elements is discussed below. Optionally, the vector may contain a "tag" sequence, i.e., an oligonucleotide sequence located at the 5' or 3' end of the TRIP1 coding sequence that encodes polyHis (such as hexaHis) or another small immunogenic sequence. This tag will be expressed along with the protein, and can serve as an affinity tag for purification of the TRIP1 polypeptide from the host cell. Optionally, the tag can subsequently be removed from the purified TRIP1 polypeptide by various means such as using a selected peptidase for example.

The 5' flanking sequence may be homologous (i.e., from the same species and/or strain as the host cell), heterologous (i.e., from a species other than the host cell species or strain), hybrid (i.e., a combination of 5' flanking sequences from more than one source), synthetic, or it may be the native TRIP1 5' flanking sequence. As such, the source of the 5' flanking sequence may be any unicellular prokaryotic or eukaryotic organism, any vertebrate or invertebrate organism, or any plant, provided that the 5' flanking sequence is functional in, and can be activated by, the host cell machinery.

The 5' flanking sequences useful in the vectors of this invention may be obtained by any of several methods well known in the art. Typically, 5' flanking sequences useful herein other than the TRIP1 5' flanking sequence will have been previously identified by mapping and/or by restriction endonuclease digestion and can thus be isolated from the proper tissue source using the appropriate restriction endonucleases. In some cases, the full nucleotide sequence of the 5' flanking sequence may be known. Here, the 5' flanking sequence may be synthesized using the methods described above for nucleic acid synthesis or cloning.

Where all or only a portion of the 5' flanking sequence is known, it may be obtained using PCR and/or by screening a genomic library with suitable oligonucleotide and/or 5' flanking sequence fragments from the same or another species.

Where the 5' flanking sequence is not known, a fragment of DNA containing a 5' flanking sequence may be isolated from a larger piece of DNA that may contain, for example, a coding sequence or even another gene or genes. Isolation may be accomplished by restriction endonuclease digestion using one or more carefully selected enzymes to isolate the proper DNA fragment. After digestion, the desired fragment may be isolated by agarose gel purification, Qiagen® column or other methods known to the skilled artisan. Selection of suitable enzymes to accomplish this purpose will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.

The origin of replication element is typically a part of prokaryotic expression vectors purchased commercially, and aids in the amplification of the vector in a host cell. Amplification of the vector to a certain copy number can, in some cases, be important for optimal expression of the TRIP1 polypeptide. If the vector of choice does not contain an origin of replication site, one may be chemically synthesized based on a known sequence, and ligated into the vector.

The transcription termination element is typically located 3' of the end of the TRIP1 polypeptide coding sequence and serves to terminate transcription of the TRIP1 polypeptide. Usually, the transcription termination element in prokaryotic cells is a G-C rich fragment followed by a poly T sequence. While the element is easily cloned from a library or even purchased commercially as part of a vector, it can also be readily synthesized using methods for nucleic acid synthesis such as those described above.

A selectable marker gene element encodes a protein necessary for the survival and growth of a host cell grown in a selective culture medium. Typical selection marker genes encode proteins that (a) confer resistance to antibiotics or other toxins, e.g., ampicillin, tetracycline, or kanamycin for prokaryotic host cells, (b) complement auxotrophic deficiencies of the cell; or (c) supply critical nutrients not available from complex media. Preferred selectable markers are the kanamycin resistance gene, the ampicillin resistance gene, and the tetracycline resistance gene.

The ribosome binding element, commonly called the Shine-Dalgarno sequence (prokaryotes) or the Kozak sequence (eukaryotes), is necessary for translation initiation of mRNA. The element is typically located 3' to the promoter and 5' to the coding sequence of the TRIP1 polypeptide to be synthesized. The Shine-Dalgarno sequence is varied but is typically a polypurine (i.e., having a high A-G content). Many Shine-Dalgarno sequences have been identified, each of which can be readily synthesized using methods set forth above and used in a prokaryotic vector.

In those cases where it is desirable for TRIP1 to be secreted from the host cell, a signal sequence may be used to direct the TRIP1 polypeptide out of the host cell where it is synthesized, and the carboxy-terminal part of the protein may be deleted in order to prevent membrane anchoring. Typically, the signal sequence is positioned in the coding region of TRIP1 nucleic acid sequence, or directly at the 5' end of the TRIP1 coding region. Many signal sequences have been identified, and any of them that are functional in the selected host cell may be used in conjunction with the TRIP1 gene. Therefore, the signal sequence may be homologous or heterologous to the TRIP1 polypeptide, and may be homologous or heterologous to the TRIP1 polypeptide. Additionally, the signal sequence may be chemically synthesized using methods set forth above. In most cases, secretion of the polypeptide from the host cell via the presence of a signal peptide will result in the removal of the amino terminal methionine from the polypeptide.

In many cases, transcription of the TRIP1 polypeptide is increased by the presence of one or more introns on the vector; this is particularly true where TRIP1 is produced in eukaryotic host cells, especially mammalian host cells. The introns used may be naturally occurring within the TRIP1 nucleic acid sequence, especially where the TRIP1 sequence used is a full length genomic sequence or a fragment thereof. Where the intron is not naturally occurring within the TRIP1 DNA sequence (as for most cDNAs), the intron(s) may be obtained from another source. The position of the intron with respect to the 5' flanking sequence and the TRIP1 coding sequence is important, as the intron must be transcribed to be effective. As such, where the TRIP1 nucleic acid sequence is a cDNA sequence, the preferred position for the intron is 3' to the transcription start site, and 5' to the polyA transcription termination sequence. Preferably for TRIP1 cDNAs, the intron will be located on one side or the other (i.e., 5' or 3') of the TRIP1 coding sequence such that it does not interrupt the this coding sequence. Any intron from any source, including any viral, prokaryotic and eukaryotic (plant or animal) organisms, may be used to practice this invention, provided that it is compatible with the host cell(s) into which it is inserted. Also included herein are synthetic introns. Optionally, more than one intron may be used in the vector.

Where one or more of the elements set forth above are not already present in the vector to be used, they may be individually obtained and ligated into the vector. Methods used for obtaining each of the elements are well known to the skilled artisan and are comparable to the methods set forth above (i.e., synthesis of the DNA, library screening, and the like).

The final vectors used to practice this invention are typically constructed from a starting vectors such as a commercially available vector. Such vectors may or may not contain some of the elements to be included in the completed vector. If none of the desired elements are present in the starting vector, each element may be individually ligated into the vector by cutting the vector with the appropriate restriction endonuclease(s) such that the ends of the element to be ligated in and the ends of the vector are compatible for ligation. In some cases, it may be necessary to "blunt" the ends to be ligated together in order to obtain a satisfactory ligation. Blunting is accomplished by first filling in "sticky ends" using Klenow DNA polymerase or T4 DNA polymerase in the presence of all four nucleotides. This procedure is well known in the art and is described for example in Sambrook et al., supra.

Alternatively, two or more of the elements to be inserted into the vector may first be ligated together (if they are to be positioned adjacent to each other) and then ligated into the vector.

One other method for constructing the vector to conduct all ligations of the various elements simultaneously in one reaction mixture. Here, many nonsense or nonfunctional vectors will be generated due to improper ligation or insertion of the elements, however the functional vector may be identified and selected by restriction endonuclease digestion.

Preferred vectors for practicing this invention are those which are compatible with bacterial, insect, and mammalian host cells. Such vectors include, inter alia, pCRII (Invitrogen Company, San Diego, Calif.), pBSII (Stratagene Company, LaJolla, Calif.), and pETL (BlueBacII; Invitrogen).

After the vector has been constructed and a TRIP1 nucleic acid has been inserted into the proper site of the vector, the completed vector may be inserted into a suitable host cell for amplification and/or TRIP1 polypeptide expression.

Host cells may be prokaryotic host cells (such as E. coli) or eukaryotic host cells (such as a yeast cell, an insect cell, or a vertebrate cell). The host cell, when cultured under appropriate conditions, can synthesize TRIP1 protein which can subsequently be collected from the culture medium (if the host cell secretes it into the medium) or directly from the host cell producing it (if it is not secreted). After collection, the TRIP1 protein can be purified using methods such as molecular sieve chromatography, affinity chromatography, and the like.

Selection of the host cell will depend in part on whether the TRIP1 protein is to be glycosylated or phosphorylated (in which case eukaryotic host cells are preferred), and the manner in which the host cell is able to "fold" the protein into its native tertiary structure (e.g., proper orientation of disulfide bridges, etc.) such that biologically active protein is prepared by the cell. However, where the host cell does not synthesize biologically active TRIP1, the TRIP1 may be "folded" after synthesis using appropriate chemical conditions as discussed below.

Suitable cells or cell lines may be mammalian cells, such as Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO) or 3T3 cells. The selection of suitable mammalian host cells and methods for transformation, culture, amplification, screening and product production and purification are known in the art. Other suitable mammalian cell lines, are the monkey COS-1 and COS-7 cell lines, and the CV-1 cell line. Further exemplary mammalian host cells include primate cell lines and rodent cell lines, including transformed cell lines. Normal diploid cells, cell strains derived from in vitro culture of primary tissue, as well as primary explants, are also suitable. Candidate cells may be genotypically deficient in the selection gene, or may contain a dominantly acting selection gene. Other suitable mammalian cell lines include but are not limited to, mouse neuroblastoma N2A cells, HeLa, mouse L-929 cells, 3T3 lines derived from Swiss, Balb-c or NIH mice, BHK or HaK hamster cell lines.

Similarly useful as host cells suitable for the present invention are bacterial cells. For example, the various strains of E. coli (e.g., HB101, DH5α, DH10, and MC1061) are well-known as host cells in the field of biotechnology. Various strains of B. subtilis, Pseudomonas spp., other Bacillus spp., Streptomyces spp., and the like may also be employed in this method.

Many strains of yeast cells known to those skilled in the art are also available as host cells for expression of the polypeptides of the present invention. Additionally, where desired, insect cells may be utilized as host cells in the method of the present invention (Miller et al., Genetic Engineering 8: 277-298 [1986]).

Insertion (also referred to as "transformation" or "transfection") of the vector into the selected host cell may be accomplished using such methods as calcium chloride, electroporation, microinjection, lipofection or the DEAE-dextran method. The method selected will in part be a function of the type of host cell to be used. These methods and other suitable methods are well known to the skilled artisan, and are set forth, for example, in Sambrook et al., supra.

The host cells containing the vector (i.e., transformed or transfected) may be cultured using standard media well known to the skilled artisan. The media will usually contain all nutrients necessary for the growth and survival of the cells. Suitable media for culturing E. coli cells are for example, Luria Broth (LB) and/or Terrific Broth (TB). Suitable media for culturing eukaryotic cells are RPMI 1640, MEM, DMEM, all of which may be supplemented with serum and/or growth factors as required by the particular cell line being cultured. A suitable medium for insect cultures is Grace's medium supplemented with yeastolate, lactalbumin hydrolysate, and/or fetal calf serum as necessary.

Typically, an antibiotic or other compound useful for selective growth of the transformed cells only is added as a supplement to the media. The compound to be used will be dictated by the selectable marker element present on the plasmid with which the host cell was transformed. For example, where the selectable marker element is kanamycin resistance, the compound added to the culture medium will be kanamycin.

The amount of TRIP1 polypeptide produced in the host cell can be evaluated using standard methods known in the art. Such methods include, without limitation, Western blot analysis, SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, non-denaturing gel electrophoresis, HPLC separation, immunoprecipitation, and/or activity assays such as DNA binding gel shift assays.

If the TRIP1 polypeptide has been designed to be secreted from the host cells, the majority of polypeptide may be found in the cell culture medium. Polypeptides prepared in this way will typically not possess an amino terminal methionine, as it is removed during secretion from the cell. If however, the TRIP1 polypeptide is not secreted from the host cells, it will be present in the cytoplasm (for eukaryotic, gram positive bacteria, and insect host cells) or in the periplasm (for gram negative bacteria host cells) and may have an amino terminal methionine.

For intracellular TRIP1 protein, the host cells are typically first disrupted mechanically or osmotically to release the cytoplasmic contents into a buffered solution. TRIP1 polypeptide can then be isolated from this solution.

Purification of TRIP1 polypeptide from solution can be accomplished using a variety of techniques. If the polypeptide has been synthesized such that it contains a tag such as Hexahistidine (TRIP1/hexaHis) or other small peptide at either its carboxyl or amino terminus, it may essentially be purified in a one-step process by passing the solution through an affinity column where the column matrix has a high affinity for the tag or for the polypeptide directly (i.e., a monoclonal antibody specifically recognizing TRIP1). For example, polyhistidine binds with great affinity and specificity to nickel, thus an affinity column of nickel (such as the Qiagen nickel columns) can be used for purification of TRIP1/polyHis. (See for example, Ausubel et al., eds., Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Section 10.11.8, John Wiley & Sons, New York [1993]).

Where the TRIP1 polypeptide has no tag and no antibodies are available, other well known procedures for purification can be used. Such procedures include, without limitation, ion exchange chromatography, molecular sieve chromatography, HPLC, native gel electrophoresis in combination with gel elution, and preparative isoelectric focusing ("Isoprime" machine/technique, Hoefer Scientific). In some cases, two or more of these techniques may be combined to achieve increased purity.

If it is anticipated that the TRIP1 polypeptide will be found primarily in the periplasmic space of the bacteria or the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells, the contents of the periplasm or cytoplasm, including inclusion bodies (e.g., gram-negative bacteria) if the processed polypeptide has formed such complexes, can be extracted from the host cell using any standard technique known to the skilled artisan. For example, the host cells can be lysed to release the contents of the periplasm by French press, homogenization, and/or sonication. The homogenate can then be centrifuged.

If the TRIP1 polypeptide has formed inclusion bodies in the periplasm, the inclusion bodies can often bind to the inner and/or outer cellular membranes and thus will be found primarily in the pellet material after centrifugation. The pellet material can then be treated with a chaotropic agent such as guanidine or urea to release, break apart, and solubilize the inclusion bodies. The TRIP1 polypeptide in its now soluble form can then be analyzed using gel electrophoresis, immunoprecipitation or the like. If it is desired to isolate the TRIP1 polypeptide, isolation may be accomplished using standard methods such as those set forth below and in Marston et al. (Meth. Enz., 182:264-275 [1990]).

If TRIP1 polypeptide inclusion bodies are not formed to a significant degree in the periplasm of the host cell, the TRIP1 polypeptide will be found primarily in the supernatant after centrifugation of the cell homogenate, and the TRIP1 polypeptide can be isolated from the supernatant using methods such as those set forth below.

In those situations where it is preferable to partially or completely isolate the TRIP1 polypeptide, purification can be accomplished using standard methods well known to the skilled artisan. Such methods include, without limitation, separation by electrophoresis followed by electroelution, various types of chromatography (immunoaffinity, molecular sieve, and/or ion exchange), and/or high pressure liquid chromatography. In some cases, it may be preferable to use more than one of these methods for complete purification.

In addition to preparing and purifying TRIP1 polypeptide using recombinant DNA techniques, the TRIP1 polypeptides, fragments, and/or derivatives thereof may be prepared by chemical synthesis methods (such as solid phase peptide synthesis) using methods known in the art such as those set forth by Merrifield et al., (J. Am. Chem. Soc., 85:2149 [1963]), Houghten et al. (Proc Natl Acad. Sci. USA, 82:5132 [1985]), and Stewart and Young (Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis, Pierce Chem Co, Rockford, Ill. [1984]). Such polypeptides may be synthesized with or without a methionine on the amino terminus. Chemically synthesized TRIP1 polypeptides or fragments may be oxidized using methods set forth in these references to form disulfide bridges. The TRIP1 polypeptides or fragments may be employed as biologically active or immunological substitutes for natural, purified TRIP1 polypeptides in therapeutic and immunological processes.

Chemically modified TRIP1 compositions (i.e., "derivatives") where the TRIP1 polypeptide is linked to a polymer ("TRIP1-polymers") are included within the scope of the present invention. The polymer selected is typically water soluble so that the protein to which it is attached does not precipitate in an aqueous environment, such as a physiological environment. The polymer selected is usually modified to have a single reactive group, such as an active ester for acylation or an aldehyde for alkylation, so that the degree of polymerization may be controlled as provided for in the present methods. A preferred reactive aldehyde is polyethylene glycol propionaldehyde, which is water stable, or mono C1-C10 alkoxy or aryloxy derivatives thereof (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,252,714). The polymer may be branched or unbranched. Included within the scope of TRIP1-polymers is a mixture of polymers. Preferably, for therapeutic use of the end-product preparation, the polymer will be pharmaceutically acceptable. The water soluble polymer or mixture thereof may be selected from the group consisting of, for example, polyethylene glycol (PEG), monomethoxypolyethylene glycol, dextran, cellulose, or other carbohydrate based polymers, poly-(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol homopolymers, a polypropylene oxide/ethylene oxide co-polymer, polyoxyethylated polyols (e.g., glycerol) and polyvinyl alcohol. For the acylation reactions, the polymer(s) selected should have a single reactive ester group. For reductive alkylation, the polymer(s) selected should have a single reactive aldehyde group. The polymer may be of any molecular weight, and may be branched or unbranched.

Pegylation of TRIP1 may be carried out by any of the pegylation reactions known in the art, as described for example in the following references: Focus on Growth Factors 3: 4-10 (1992); EP 0 154 316; and EP 0 401 384. Preferably, the pegylation is carried out via an acylation reaction or an alkylation reaction with a reactive polyethylene glycol molecule (or an analogous reactive water-soluble polymer) as described below.

Pegylation by acylation generally involves reacting an active ester derivative of polyethylene glycol (PEG) with an TRIP1 protein. Any known or subsequently discovered reactive PEG molecule may be used to carry out the pegylation of TRIP1. A preferred activated PEG ester is PEG esterified to N-hydroxysuccinimide ("NHS"). As used herein, "acylation" is contemplated to include without limitation the following types of linkages between TRIP1 and a water soluble polymer such as PEG: amide, carbamate, urethane, and the like, as described in Bioconjugate Chem. 5: 133-140 (1994). Reaction conditions may be selected from any of those known in the pegylation art or those subsequently developed, provided that conditions such as temperature, solvent, and pH that would inactivate the TRIP1 species to be modified are avoided.

Pegylation by acylation usually results in a polypegylated TRIP1 product, wherein the lysine ε-^(amino) groups are pegylated via an acyl linking group. Preferably, the connecting linkage will be an amide. Also preferably, the resulting product will be at least about 95 percent mono, di- or tri-pegylated. However, some species with higher degrees of pegylation (up to the maximum number of lysine ε-amino acid groups of TRIP1 plus one α-amino group at the amino terminus of TRIP1) will normally be formed in amounts depending on the specific reaction conditions used. If desired, more purified pegylated species may be separated from the mixture, particularly unreacted species, by standard purification techniques, including, among others, dialysis, salting-out, ultrafiltration, ion-exchange chromatography, gel filtration chromatography and electrophoresis.

Pegylation by alkylation generally involves reacting a terminal aldehyde derivative of PEG with a protein such as TRIP1 in the presence of a reducing agent. Regardless of the degree of pegylation, the PEG groups are preferably attached to the protein via a --CH₂ --NH-- group. With particular reference to the --CH₂₋₋ group, this type of linkage is referred to herein as an "alkyl" linkage.

Derivatization via reductive alkylation to produce a monopegylated product exploits the differential reactivity of different types of primary amino groups (lysine versus the N-terminal) available for derivatization in TRIP1. Typically, the reaction is performed at a pH (see below) which allows one to take advantage of the pK_(a) differences between the ε-amino groups of the lysine residues and that of the α-amino group of the N-terminal residue of the protein. By such selective derivatization, attachment of a water soluble polymer that contains a reactive group such as an aldehyde, to a protein is controlled: the conjugation with the polymer occurs predominantly at the N-terminus of the protein without significant modification of other reactive groups such as the lysine side chain amino groups. The present invention provides for a substantially homogeneous preparation of TRIP1-monopolymer protein conjugate molecules (meaning TRIP1 protein to which a polymer molecule has been attached substantially only (i.e., at least about 95%) in a single location on the TRIP1 protein. More specifically, if polyethylene glycol is used, the present invention also provides for pegylated TRIP1 protein lacking possibly antigenic linking groups, and having the polyethylene glycol molecule directly coupled to the TRIP1 protein.

A particularly preferred water-soluble polymer for use herein is polyethylene glycol, abbreviated PEG. As used herein, polyethylene glycol is meant to encompass any of the forms of PEG that have been used to derivatize other proteins, such as mono-(C1-C10) alkoxy- or aryloxy-polyethylene glycol.

In general, chemical derivatization may be performed under any suitable conditions used to react a biologically active substance with an activated polymer molecule. Methods for preparing pegylated TRIP1 will generally comprise the steps of (a) reacting an TRIP1 polypeptide with polyethylene glycol (such as a reactive ester or aldehyde derivative of PEG) under conditions whereby TRIP1 becomes attached to one or more PEG groups, and (b) obtaining the reaction product(s). In general, the optimal reaction conditions for the acylation reactions will be determined based on known parameters and the desired result. For example, the larger the ratio of PEG: protein, the greater the percentage of poly-pegylated product.

Reductive alkylation to produce a substantially homogeneous population of mono-polymer/TRIP1 protein conjugate molecule will generally comprise the steps of: (a) reacting a TRIP1 protein with a reactive PEG molecule under reductive alkylation conditions, at a pH suitable to permit selective modification of the α-amino group at the amino terminus of said TRIP1 protein; and (b) obtaining the reaction product(s).

For a substantially homogeneous population of mono-polymer/TRIP1 protein conjugate molecules, the reductive alkylation reaction conditions are those which permit the selective attachment of the water soluble polymer moiety to the N-terminus of TRIP1. Such reaction conditions generally provide for pK_(a) differences between the lysine amino groups and the α-amino group at the N-terminus (the pK_(a) being the pH at which 50% of the amino groups are protonated and 50% are not). The pH also affects the ratio of polymer to protein to be used. In general, if the pH is lower, a larger excess of polymer to protein will be desired (i.e., the less reactive the N-terminal α-amino group, the more polymer needed to achieve optimal conditions). If the pH is higher, the polymer:protein ratio need not be as large (i.e., more reactive groups are available, so fewer polymer molecules are needed). For purposes of the present invention, the pH will generally fall within the range of 3-9, preferably 3-6.

Another important consideration is the molecular weight of the polymer. In general, the higher the molecular weight of the polymer, the fewer number of polymer molecules which may be attached to the protein. Similarly, branching of the polymer should be taken into account when optimizing these parameters. Generally, the higher the molecular weight (or the more branches) the higher the polymer:protein ratio. In general, for the pegylation reactions contemplated herein, the preferred average molecular weight is about 2 kDa to about 100 kDa (the term "about" indicating ±1 kDa). The preferred average molecular weight is about 5 kDa to about 50 kDa, particularly preferably about 12 kDa to about 25 kDa. The ratio of water-soluble polymer to TRIP1 protein will generally range from 1:1 to 100:1, preferably (for polypegylation) 1:1 to 20:1 and (for monopegylation) 1:1 to 5:1.

Using the conditions indicated above, reductive alkylation will provide for selective attachment of the polymer of any TRIP1 protein having an α-amino group at the amino terminus, and provide for a substantially homogenous preparation of monopolymer/TRIP1 protein conjugate. The term "monopolymer/TRIP1 protein conjugate" is used here to mean a composition comprised of a single polymer molecule attached to an TRIP1 protein molecule. The monopolymer/TRIP1 protein conjugate preferably will have a polymer molecule located at the N-terminus, but not on lysine amino side groups. The preparation will preferably be greater than 90% monopolymer/TRIP1 protein conjugate, and more preferably greater than 95% monopolymer TRIP1 protein conjugate, with the remainder of observable molecules being unreacted (i.e., protein lacking the polymer moiety). The examples below provide for a preparation which is at least about 90% monopolymer/protein conjugate, and about 10% unreacted protein. The monopolymer/protein conjugate has biological activity.

For the present reductive alkylation, the reducing agent should be stable in aqueous solution and preferably be able to reduce only the Schiff base formed in the initial process of reductive alkylation. Preferred reducing agents may be selected from the group consisting of sodium borohydride, sodium cyanoborohydride, dimethylamine borane, trimethylamine borane and pyridine borane. A particularly preferred reducing agent is sodium cyanoborohydride.

Other reaction parameters, such as solvent, reaction times, temperatures, etc., and means of purification of products, can be determined based on the published information relating to derivatization of proteins with water soluble polymers.

A mixture of polymer-TRIP1 protein conjugate molecules may be prepared by acylation and/or alkylation methods, as described above, and one may select the proportion of monopolymer/protein conjugate to include in the mixture. Thus, where desired, a mixture of various protein with various numbers of polymer molecules attached (i.e., di-, tri-, tetra-, etc.) may be prepared and combined with the monopolymer/TRIP1 protein conjugate material prepared using the present methods.

Generally, conditions which may be alleviated or modulated by administration of the present polymer/TRIP1 include those described herein for TRIP1 molecules in general. However, the polymer/TRIP1 molecules disclosed herein may have additional activities, enhanced or reduced activities, or other characteristics, as compared to the non-derivatized molecules.

TRIP1 nucleic acid molecules, fragments, and/or derivatives that do not themselves encode polypeptides that are active in activity assays may be useful as hybridization probes in diagnostic assays to test, either qualitatively or quantitatively, for the presence of TRIP1 DNA or corresponding RNA in mammalian tissue or bodily fluid samples.

TRIP1 polypeptide fragments and/or derivatives that are not themselves active in activity assays may be useful for preparing antibodies to TRIP1 polypeptides.

The TRIP1 polypeptides and fragments thereof, whether or not chemically modified, may be employed alone, or in combination with other pharmaceutical compositions.

The TRIP1 polypeptides and/or fragments thereof may be used to prepare antibodies generated by standard methods. Thus, antibodies that react with the TRIP1 polypeptides, as well as reactive fragments of such antibodies, are also contemplated as within the scope of the present invention. The antibodies may be polyclonal, monoclonal, recombinant, chimeric, single-chain and/or bispecific. Typically, the antibody or fragment thereof will either be of human origin, or will be "humanized", i.e., prepared so as to prevent or minimize an immune reaction to the antibody when administered to a patient. The antibody fragment may be any fragment that is reactive with the TRIP1 of the present invention, such as, F_(ab), F_(ab'), etc. Also provided by this invention are the hybridomas generated by presenting TRIP1 or a fragment thereof as an antigen to a selected mammal, followed by fusing cells (e.g., spleen cells) of the mammal with certain cancer cells to create immortalized cell lines by known techniques. The methods employed to generate such cell lines and antibodies directed against all or portions of a human TRIP1 polypeptide of the present invention are also encompassed by this invention.

The antibodies may be used therapeutically, such as to inhibit binding of TRIP1 to telomeres or to telomerase RNA, or to inhibit TRIP1 activity in other ways. The antibodies may further be used for in vivo and in vitro diagnostic purposes, such as in labeled form to detect the presence of the TRIP1 in a body fluid.

Therapeutic Compositions and Administration

Therapeutic compositions of TRIP1 are within the scope of the present invention. Such compositions may comprise a therapeutically effective amount of a TRIP1 polypeptide or fragment thereof (either of which may be chemically modified) in admixture with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The carrier material may be water for injection, preferably supplemented with other materials common in solutions for administration to mammals. Typically, a TRIP1 therapeutic compound will be administered in the form of a composition comprising purified TRIP1 polypeptide or fragment (which may be chemically modified) in conjunction with one or more physiologically acceptable carriers, excipients, or diluents. Neutral buffered saline or saline mixed with serum albumin are exemplary appropriate carriers. Preferably, the product is formulated as a lyophilizate using appropriate excipients (e.g., sucrose). Other standard carriers, diluents, and excipients may be included as desired. Other exemplary compositions comprise Tris buffer of about pH 7.0-8.5, or acetate buffer of about pH 4.0-5.5, which may further include sorbitol or a suitable substitute therefor.

The TRIP1 compositions can be systemically administered parenterally. Alternatively, the compositions may be administered intravenously or subcutaneously. When systemically administered, the therapeutic compositions for use in this invention may be in the form of a pyrogen-free, parenterally acceptable aqueous solution. The preparation of such pharmaceutically acceptable protein solutions, with due regard to pH, isotonicity, stability and the like, is within the skill of the art.

Therapeutic formulations of TRIP1 compositions useful for practicing the present invention may be prepared for storage by mixing the selected composition having the desired degree of purity with optional physiologically acceptable carriers, excipients, or stabilizers (Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, 18th edition, A. R. Gennaro, ed., Mack Publishing Company [1990]) in the form of a lyophilized cake or an aqueous solution. Acceptable carriers, excipients or stabilizers are nontoxic to recipients and are preferably inert at the dosages and concentrations employed, and include buffers such as phosphate, citrate, or other organic acids; antioxidants such as ascorbic acid; low molecular weight polypeptides; proteins, such as serum albumin, gelatin, or immunoglobulins; hydrophilic polymers such as polyvinylpyrrolidone; amino acids such as glycine, glutamine, asparagine, arginine or lysine; monosaccharides, disaccharides, and other carbohydrates including glucose, mannose, or dextrins; chelating agents such as EDTA; sugar alcohols such as mannitol or sorbitol; salt-forming counterions such as sodium; and/or nonionic surfactants such as Tween™, Pluronics or polyethylene glycol (PEG).

The TRIP1 composition to be used for in vivo administration must be sterile. This is readily accomplished by filtration through sterile filtration membranes. Where the TRIP1 composition is lyophilized, sterilization using these methods may be conducted either prior to, or following, lyophilization and reconstitution. The composition for parenteral administration ordinarily will be stored in lyophilized form or in solution.

Therapeutic compositions generally are placed into a container having a sterile access port, for example, an intravenous solution bag or vial having a stopper pierceable by a hypodermic injection needle.

The route of administration of the composition is in accord with known methods, e.g. oral, injection or infusion by intravenous, intraperitoneal, intracerebral (intraparenchymal), intracerebroventricular, intramuscular, intraocular, intraarterial, or intralesional routes, or by sustained release systems or implantation device which may optionally involve the use of a catheter. Where desired, the compositions may be administered continuously by infusion, bolus injection or by implantation device. Alternatively or additionally, TRIP1 may be administered locally via implantation into the affected area of a membrane, sponge, or other appropriate material on to which TRIP1 polypeptide has been absorbed.

TRIP1 polypeptide may be administered in a sustained release formulation or preparation. Suitable examples of sustained-release preparations include semipermeable polymer matrices in the form of shaped articles, e.g. films, or microcapsules. Sustained release matrices include polyesters, hydrogels, polylactides (U.S. Pat. No. 3,773,919, EP 58,481), copolymers of L-glutamic acid and gamma ethyl-L-glutamate (Sidman et al, Biopolymers, 22: 547-556 [1983]), poly (2-hydroxyethyl-methacrylate) (Langer et al., J. Biomed. Mater. Res., 15: 167-277 [1981] and Langer, Chem. Tech., 12: 98-105 [1982]), ethylene vinyl acetate (Langer et al., supra) or poly-D(-)-3-hydroxybutyric acid (EP 133,988). Sustained-release compositions also may include liposomes, which can be prepared by any of several methods known in the art (e.g., DE 3,218,121; Epstein et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 82: 3688-3692 [1985]; Hwang et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 77: 4030-4034 [1980]; EP 52,322; EP 36,676; EP 88,046; EP 143,949).

In other cases, TRIP1 may be delivered through implanting into patients certain cells that have been genetically engineered to express and secrete TRIP1 polypeptide. Such cells may be animal or human cells, and may be derived from the patient's own tissue or from another source, either human or non-human. Optionally, the cells may be immortalized. The cells may be implanted into suitable body tissues or organs of the patient.

An effective amount of the TRIP1 composition(s) to be employed therapeutically will depend, for example, upon the therapeutic objectives such as the indication for which TRIP1 is being used, the route of administration, and the condition of the patient. Accordingly, it will be necessary for the therapist to titer the dosage and modify the route of administration as required to obtain the optimal therapeutic effect. A typical daily dosage may range from about 0.1 μg/kg to up to 100 mg/kg or more, depending on the factors mentioned above. Typically, a clinician will administer the TRIP1 composition until a dosage is reached that achieves the desired effect. The TRIP1 composition may therefore be administered as a single dose, or as two or more doses (which may or may not contain the same amount of TRIP1) over time, or as a continuous infusion via implantation device or catheter.

As further studies are conducted, information will emerge regarding appropriate dosage levels for treatment of various conditions in various patients, and the ordinary skilled worker, considering the therapeutic context, the type of disorder under treatment, the age and general health of the recipient, will be able to ascertain proper dosing.

In certain situations, it may be desirable to use gene therapy methods for administration of TRIP1 to patients suffering from HIV infection, AIDS, or other diseases for which TRIP1 is a viable therapeutic agent, such as, for example, premature aging and other aging disorders. In these situations, genomic DNA, cDNA, and/or synthetic DNA encoding TRIP1 or a fragment or variant thereof may be operably linked to a constitutive or inducible promoter (where the promoter may be homologous or heterologous) that is active in the tissue into which the composition will be injected. This construct can then be inserted into a suitable vector such as an adenovirus vector or a retrovirus vector to create a "gene therapy vector". The cells of the patient to be treated (such as, for example, T-cells in AIDS patients) can be removed from the patient, infected with the gene therapy vector using standard transfection procedures for eukaryotic cells, and tested for TRIP1 protein production. Those cells expressing TRIP1 can then be re-introduced into the patient.

Gene therapy methods may also be employed where is desirable to inhibit TRIP1 activity. Here, antisense DNA or RNA with a sequence that is complementary to: (1) full length telomerase RNA, (2) at least the portion of the telomerase RNA that interacts with TRIP1, (3) a portion of the TRIP1 mRNA, or (4) full length TRIP1 mRNA can be prepared, placed into a suitable vector, and transfected into selected cells (previously removed from the patient in an ex vivo manner). The vector is typically selected based on its ability to generate high levels of the anti-sense RNA in conjunction with the host cell's machinery.

Alternatively, gene therapy may be employed to create a dominant-negative inhibitor of TRIP1. In this situation, the DNA encoding a mutant full length or truncated polypeptide of TRIP1 is inserted into a retrovirus or adenovirus, or a comparable vector, and the vector in turn is transfected into the patient's cells in either an ex vivo or in vivo manner. This TRIP1 mutant is designed to (1) compete with endogenous TRIP1 in forming the telomerase complex; and (2) contains one or more insertions, deletions, and/or mutations as compared to wild type TRIP1 such that the telomerase complex is rendered functionally inactive. For example, a TRIP1 truncation mutant in which the portion of the molecule that binds RNA (i.e., approximately amino acids 1-900 of human TRIP1) remains intact, but another portion of TRIP1 such as its telomere binding domain or its protein-protein interaction domain is deleted or otherwise rendered non-functional.

Assays to Screen for Inhibitors of TRIP1

As mentioned above, it would be desirable to inhibit or significantly decrease the level of TRIP1 activity in certain cells such as cancer cells (immortalized cells). Compounds that inhibit TRIP1 activity could be administered either in an ex vivo manner, or in an in vivo manner by local or iv injection, or by oral delivery, implantation device, or the like. The assays described below provide examples of methods useful for identifying compounds that could inhibit TRIP1 activity.

For ease of reading, the following definition is used herein for describing the assays:

"Test molecule(s)" refers to the molecule(s) that is under evaluation as an inhibitor of TRIP1, either by virtue of its potential ability to block the interaction of TRIP1 with telomerase RNA, or by virtue of its potential ability to block the interaction of TRIP1 with telomere binding proteins, with the telomere itself, or with other polypeptides that comprise the telomerase complex.

A. In Vitro Assays Using Purified Protein

Several types of in vitro assays using purified protein may be conducted to identify those compounds that disrupt telomerase activity. Such disruption may be accomplished by a compound that either inhibits the interaction of TRIP1 with the telomeres, or by a compound that inhibits TRIP1 association with telomerase RNA or other protein components of the telomerase enzyme complex.

In one assay, purified TRIP1 protein or a fragment thereof (prepared for example using methods described above) can be immobilized by attachment to the bottom of the wells of a microtiter plate. Radiolabeled telomerase RNA, as well as the test molecule(s) can then be added either one at a time or simultaneously to the wells. After incubation, the wells can be washed and counted using a scintillation counter for radioactivity to determine the degree of TRIP1/telomerase RNA binding in the presence of the test molecule. Typically, the molecule will be tested over a range of concentrations, and a series of control "wells" lacking one or more elements of the test assays can be used for accuracy in evaluating the results. A variation of this assay involves attaching the telomerase RNA to the wells, and adding radiolabeled TRIP1 along with the test molecule to the wells. After incubation and washing, the wells can be counted for radioactivity.

Several means other than radiolabelling are available to "mark" the TRIP1 or telomerase RNA. For example, TRIP1 protein can be radiolabelled using 125-I. Alternatively, a fusion protein of TRIP1 wherein the DNA encoding TRIP1 is fused to the coding sequence of a peptide such as the c-myc epitope. TRIP1-myc fusion protein can readily be detected with commercially available antibodies directed against myc.

Telomerase RNA can be labeled by synthesizing it with radiolabelled nucleotides such as 32-P ATP, and the level of radioactivity can then be measured by scintillation counting. Alternatively, the RNA can be labeled using biotin, digoxigenin, or a comparable compound.

An alternative to microtiter plate type of binding assays comprises immobilizing either TRIP1 or telomerase RNA on agarose beads, acrylic beads or other types of such inert substrates. The inert substrate containing the RNA or TRIP1 can be placed in a solution containing the test molecule along with the complementary component (either RNA or TRIP1) which has been radiolabeled or fluorescently labeled; after incubation, the inert substrate can be precipitated by centrifugation, and the amount of binding between TRIP1 and RNA can be assessed using the methods described above. Alternatively, the insert substrate complex can be immobilized in a column and the test molecule and complementary component passed over the column. Formation of the TRIP1/RNA complex can then be assessed using any of the techniques set forth above, i.e., radiolabeling, antibody binding, or the like.

Another type of in vitro assay that is useful for identifying a molecule to inhibit TRIP1 activity is the Biacore assay system (Pharmacia, Piscataway, N.J.) using a surface plasmon resonance detector system and following the manufacturer's protocol. This assay essentially involves covalent binding of either TRIP1 or telomerase RNA to a dextran-coated sensor chip which is located in a detector. The test molecule and the complementary component can then be injected into the chamber containing the sensor chip either simultaneously or sequentially, and the amount of binding of TRIP1/RNA can be assessed based on the change in molecular mass which is physically associated with the dextran-coated side of the of the sensor chip; the change in molecular mass can be measured by the detector system.

One other assay useful for evaluating test molecule disruption of the TRIP1/RNA complex is the gel shift assay. Here, TRIP1, telomerase RNA, and the test molecule can be incubated together. Typically, the RNA is radiolabelled using standard radioisotopes for nucleic acids (such as 32-P ATP). After incubation, the samples can be run on a non-denaturing acrylamide gel where the acrylamide concentration is about 4-6 percent. The migration pattern of telomerase RNA on the gel can then be evaluated. Where the TRIP1/RNA complex is intact during electrophoresis (even after treatment with the test molecule) migration will be slowed due to the increased molecular weight of the complex. If, however, the test molecule has sufficiently disrupted the TRIP1/RNA complex, telomerase RNA will migrate in a manner comparable to control (un-treated) telomerase RNA. Migration can be detected by autoradiography.

In some cases, it may be desirable to evaluate two or more test molecules together for use in decreasing or inhibiting TRIP1 activity. In these cases, the assays set forth above can be readily modified by adding such additional test molecule(s) either simultaneously with, or subsequently to, the first test molecule. The remainder of steps in the assay can be as set forth above.

B. In Vitro Assays Using Cultured Cells

Cultures of immortalized cells (either normal mammalian cells that have spontaneously gained the ability to replicate indefinitely, normal mammalian cells transformed with oncogenes, or mammalian cells derived from tumors) can be used to evaluate test molecules for TRIP1 inhibition. The immortalized cells can be obtained from any mammal, but preferably will be from human or other primate, canine, or rodent sources.

In one type of cell culture assay, the immortalized cells can be cultured in standard medium such as DMEM, alpha-MEM, or RPMI. Typically, the medium would contain up to about ten percent (v:v) of fetal calf serum. Incubation is typically conducted for 1-5 days. After this incubation, the test molecule or molecules can be added, and the cells incubated for a period of 1-7 days, allowing for 3-8 cell cycles. After washing the cells to remove any residual test molecule, the cells can be harvested and telomerase activity analyzed in an in vitro assay such as the TRAP assay (Kim et al, supra) or the TRF assay (Harley et al., 1990, supra). Inhibition may be manifested by a decrease in telomere length, telomerase activity, or both. For example, two known reverse transcriptase inhibitors, dideoxy GTP and AZT, have been shown to cause a decrease in telomere length in immortalized cells and a decrease in telomerase activity in vitro (Strahl et al., Mol. Cell. Biol., 16:53-65 [1996]).

In another cell assay, human immortalized cells can be transfected with a DNA construct encoding either full length TRIP1 or a truncated version of TRIP1. After transfection, the cells could be incubated for a period of time, after which telomerase activity could be assessed using the TRAP assay, and telomere length assayed by the TRF or other suitable assay.

The following examples are intended for illustration purposes only, and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any way.

EXAMPLES

1. Molecular Cloning of murine TRIP1 cDNA

Standard methods for library preparation, DNA cloning, and protein expression are set forth in Sambrook et al., (Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laborite Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. [1989]).

A cDNA library was constructed using RNA purified from adult murine colonic crypt cells. mRNA was isolated from a membrane bound polysomal fraction of RNA (Mechler et al., Meth, Enz., 152:241-248 [1987]). The poly(A+) mRNA fraction was isolated from the total RNA preparation using the FastTrack™ mRNA Isolation Kit (Invitrogen, San Diego, Calif.) according to the manufacturer's recommended procedure. First strand cDNA was generated by reverse transcribing the RNA using random hexanucleotides (RediPrime kit, Amersham, Arlington Heights, Ill.).

A random primed cDNA library was prepared from the first strand cDNA using the Superscript™ Plasmid System (Gibco BRL, Gaithersburg, Md.). A random cDNA primer containing an internal NotI restriction site was used to initiate first strand synthesis and had the following double strand sequence:

    ______________________________________                                         CCTCTGCGGCCGCTACANNNNNNNNT (SEQ ID NO: 5)                                      GGAGACGCCGGCCGA'            (SEQ ID NO: 6)                                     ______________________________________                                    

The first strand cDNA synthesis reaction was assembled using 1 μg of the mRNA and 150 ng of the Not1 random primer. After second strand synthesis, the reaction products were extracted with the phenol:chloroform:isoamyl alcohol mixture and ethanol precipitated. The double strand (ds) cDNA products were ligated to the following ds oligonucleotide adapter (Gibco BRL):

    ______________________________________                                         TCGACCCACGCGTCCG (SEQ ID NO: 7)                                                    GGGTGCGCAGGC (SEQ ID NO: 8)                                                ______________________________________                                    

After ligation the cDNA was digested to completion with Not1, extracted with phenol:chloroform:isoamyl alcohol (25:24:1 ratio) and ethanol precipitated. The resuspended cDNA was then size fractionated by gel filtration using the premade columns provided with the Superscript Plasmid System (Gibco BRL) as recommended by the manufacturer. The fractions containing the largest cDNA products were ethanol precipitated and then directionally ligated into Not1 and Sal1 digested pMOB vector DNA (Strathmann et. al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 88: 1247-1250 [1991]). The ligated cDNA was introduced into electrocompetent XL1-Blue E. coli (Stratagene, LaJolla, Calif.) by electroporation. The library was termed cm1.

Approximately 20,000 colonies from the library were picked and arrayed into 96 well microtiter plates containing about 200 μl of L-broth, 7.5% glycerol, 50 μg/ml ampicillin and 12.5 μg/ml tetracycline. The cultures were grown overnight at 37° C., a duplicate set of microtiter plates were made using a sterile 96 pin replicating tool, and both sets were stored at -80° C. for further analysis.

To sequence random cDNA clones from this library, sequencing template was prepared by PCR amplification of cloned cDNA inserts using vector primers. Glycerol stocks of cDNA clones were thawed, and small aliquots were diluted 1:25 in distilled water. Approximately 3.0 μl of diluted bacterial cultures were added to PCR reaction mixture (Boehringer-Mannheim) containing the following oligonucleotides:

    ______________________________________                                         TGTAAAACGACGGCCAGT (SEQ ID NO: 9)                                                CAGGAAACAGCTATGACC (SEQ ID NO: 10)                                           ______________________________________                                    

The reactions were incubated in a thermocycler (Perkin-Elmer 9600) with the following cycle conditions: 94° C. for 2 minutes; 94° C. for 5 seconds, 50° C. for 5 seconds and 72° C. for 3 minutes for 30 cycles and then a final extension at 72° C. for 4 minutes. After incubation in the thermocycler, the reactions were diluted with about 2.0 ml of water. The amplified DNA fragments were further purified using Centricon columns (Princeton Separations) using the manufacturer's recommended procedures. In some instances, low primer and deoxynucleoside triphosphate concentrations were used in the amplification reactions, and in those instances, Centricon purification was not necessary. The PCR reaction products were sequenced on an Applied Biosystems 373A automated DNA sequencer using T3 primer:

    ______________________________________                                         CAATTAACCCTCACTAAAG (SEQ ID NO: 11)                                            ______________________________________                                    

Taq dye-terminator reactions (Applied Biosystems) were conducted following the manufacturer's recommended procedures.

A search of six way translated DNA sequences from these clones was performed to isolate clones that conformed to the following criteria:

1. Potential signal peptide: Translated sequences contain the following: a methionine followed by one to three positively charged residues followed by 6-15 hydrophobic residues followed by 1-2 charged residues, followed by an open reading frame of at least residues.

2. Predicted alpha helical structure. The open reading frame contains sequences that are predicted to contain at least 30% alpha helix as assayed by the Robson/Garnier algorithm contained in the software program Macvector 4.5.

3. Leucine content. The open reading frame contains at least 10% Leucine residues.

4. Cysteine content. The open reading frame contains at least one but not more than 7 cysteine residues.

5. Lack of transmembrane domain. The open reading frame does not contain a sequence of 15-25 consecutive hydrophobic or uncharged residues.

One clone meeting all of these criteria, cm1-85-g3, was selected for further characterization. To identify additional sequence of this clone, a search of clones obtained from a mouse colon tissue cDNA library (prepared essentially as described above) using cm1-85-g3 as a probe resulted in the identification of clone cm3-1-e4, which had overlapping (homologous) sequence with cm1-85-g3, and contained additional 3' sequence, including a 3' termination codon. Clone cm1-85-g3 was about 1322 base pairs (bp) in length, and clone cm3-1-e4 was about 6.9 kb. To obtain the 5' portion of the coding region, PCR amplification was performed using an antisense oligonucleotide corresponding to the 5' end of the cm1-85-g3 clone and an oligonucleotide corresponding to a portion of the pMOB vector polylinker sequence. The template for this PCR reaction was 96 DNA samples. Each sample was prepared by first plating the entire cml library at a density of about 10,000 clones on 96 15 cm plates. After culturing, each plate was scraped and the resultant pooled bacteria containing the clones was prepared as a glycerol stock. DNA was prepared from a portion of each pool, and 1-3 μl of each DNA sample was then added to the individual wells.

PCR conditions were: 30 cycles, 94° C. for 20 seconds; 50° C. for 10 seconds, and 72° C. for 30 seconds. Samples were analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis.

A PCR fragment of about 1.5 kb was isolated from one of the PCR reactions, and was sequenced. A search of various databases with this PCR fragment resulted in the identification of a homologous sequence termed bmst2-15-g6. This clone was sequenced in its entirety, and was found to contain a methionine preceded by several stop codons, indicating a translation start site for the gene.

The three clones cm1-85-g3, cm3-1-e4 and bmst2-15-g6 overlapped to form a contiguous sequence of about 8159 bp in length. Within this sequence was an open reading frame of about 7887 bp comprising about 2629 amino acids.

A FASTA search of this open reading frame against all translated DNA sequences in the Genbank DNA Repository revealed a homology to the Tetrahymena telomerase P80 subunit. Several significant stretches of amino acid homology were found across this Tetrahymena amino acid sequence. One of these regions showed about 46 percent identity over a 90 amino acid length of the Tetrahymena telomerase P80 subunit. Due to its homology with Tetrahymena telomerase, this gene was called murine telomerase RNA interacting protein 1 ("TRIP1").

2. Cloning of human TRIP1 Gene

The human homolog for the murine TRIP1 gene was identified by screening a cDNA library constructed using RNA from the human colon tumor cell line LIM1863 (Willson et al., Cancer Res., 47:2704-2713 [1987]). Total RNA was isolated and the poly(A+) mRNA fraction was obtained using the FastTrac mRNA Isolation Kit (Invitrogen, San Diego, Calif.) according to the manufacturer's recommended procedure. First strand cDNA was generated by reverse transcribing the RNA using random hexanucleotides (RediPrime kit, Amersham, Arlington Heights, Ill.).

A random primed cDNA library was prepared from the first strand cDNA using the Superscript Plasmid System (Gibco BRL, Gaithersburg, Md.). A random cDNA primer containing an internal NotI restriction site was used to initiate first strand synthesis. This primer had the double strand sequence as set forth above for SEQ ID NO:5 and SEQ ID NO:6.

The first strand cDNA synthesis reaction was assembled using 1 μg of the mRNA and 150 ng of the Not1 random primer. After second strand synthesis, the reaction products were extracted with the phenol:chloroform:isoamyl alcohol mixture and ethanol precipitated. The double strand (ds) cDNA products were ligated to a double strand oligonucleotide adapter with the sequence set forth above for SEQ ID NO:7 and SEQ ID NO:8.

After ligation, the cDNA was digested to completion with Not1, extracted with phenol:chloroform:isoamyl alcohol (25:24:1 ratio) and ethanol precipitated. The resuspended cDNA was then size fractionated by gel filtration using the premade columns provided with the Superscript Plasmid System (Gibco/BRL) as recommended by the manufacturer. The fractions containing the largest cDNA products were ethanol precipitated and then directionally ligated into Not1 and Sal1 digested pSPORT vector (Gibco/BRL, Grand Island, N.Y.). The ligated cDNA was introduced into electrocompetent XL1-Blue E. coli (Stratagene, Lajolla, Calif.) by electroporation.

The cDNA library was arrayed by plating the entire library at a density of about 10,000 clones per plate on 96 15 cm Petri plates. After incubation, each plate was scraped, and the resultant pooled bacteria was prepared as a glycerol stock. DNA was prepared from an aliquot of each pool, digested with NotI, electrophoresed on a 1% agarose gel and transferred to a charged nylon membrane for Southern blotting. Each of the 96 lanes on the gel thus contained about 10,000 cDNA clones. An approximately 500bp BamHI/HindIII fragment of clone cm1-85-g3 was random prime labeled using standard methods and hybridized to the Southern blot. Hybridization was conducted at 50° C. for at least two hours using Rapid Hyb buffer (Amersham, Arlington Heights, Ill.) and following the manufacturer's protocol. About ten percent of the samples hybridized to the probe. Lanes corresponding to DNA pools 54, 58 and 87 contained the largest inserts, and so these were selected for further analysis.

Glycerol stocks of bacteria containing the indicated pooled clones were plated directly on to nitrocellulose filters covering agar plates, grown for several hours at 30° C., lysed, and hybridized to the cm1-85-g3 500 bp random primed probe. Hybridization conditions were as above using Rapid Hyb buffer. Positive clones were picked and rescreened to isolate single clones from each stock. The three selected clones, called 54, 58, and 87, contained significant overlapping sequence with each other. To identify additional 5' sequence for the human TRIP1 gene, the largest of the three clones, clone 54, was used to generate one antisense oligonucleotide positioned near its 5' end for a PCR primer. The second PCR primer corresponded to the pSPORT vector. The templates for PCR were the same 96 well pools described above. PCR conditions were: 30 cycles, 94° C. for 20 seconds; 50° C. for 10 seconds, and 72° C. for 30 seconds. Samples were analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis using the antisense oligonucleotide together with an oligonucleotide sequence found in the pSPORT polylinker.

An approximately 1.5 kbp band was identified in pool 96. This pool was then plated and screened as above except that the filters were hybridized at 60° C. using Rapid Hyb buffer as above for at least two hours. The probe was an antisense oligonucleotide to the 5' end of clone 54, and was radiolabeled at the 5' end using standard methods as follows. About 170 ng of the probe was incubated at about 37° C. for about one hour in a solution containing about 200 μCi of 32-P labeled ATP (Amersham, Arlington Heights, Ill.) and about 20 U of Polynucleotide Kinase (Boehringer Manheim, Indianapolis, Ind.), using a buffer provided by the manufacturer. Radiolabeled oligonucleotide was separated from unincorporated nucleotide by centrifugation through a G25 Quickspin column (Boehringer Manheim) according to the manufacturer's protocol.

To identify the 3' region of the human TRIP1 gene, a sense oligonucleotide corresponding to the 3' end of clone 54 and an oligonucleotide sequence corresponding to the pSPORT polylinker were used in a PCR reaction. The same 96 well pools were used as a template for PCR reactions.

PCR conditions were: 30 cycles, 94° C. for 20 seconds; 55° C. for 10 seconds, and 72° C. for 30 seconds. Samples were analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis.

A 3 kb PCR product was identified from DNA pool 63. This pool was then plated and screened as above. The probe for this reaction was a sense oligonucleotide to the 3' end of clone 54 which was radiolabeled at the 5' end using standard methods. Two colonies containing DNA clones which strongly hybridized to the probe were identified then sequenced in their entirety. These clones were termed 96 and 63.

To identify the remaining 3' portion of the coding sequence, another round of PCR was conducted. Here, the primers used were (1) a sense oligonucleotide to the 3' end of clone 63 and (2) an oligonucleotide corresponding to the SP6 of the pSPORT vector. PCR conditions were: 30 cycles, 94° C. for 20 seconds; 55° C. for 10 seconds, and 72° C. for 30 seconds. The templates for PCR were the same 96 well pools. Samples were analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. An approximately 200 bp fragment was identified in pool 15. This pool was then plated and screened as above by hybridizing the filters with a radiolabeled probe. The probe for this reaction was a sense oligonucleotide to the 3' end of clone 63 which was radiolabeled at the 5' end using standard methods. This clone, clone 15, was sequenced in its entirety and was found to possess a termination codon.

3. Murine TRIP1 Protein Preparation

A truncated version of murine TRIP1 protein encoding amino acids 1-871 was prepared as follows. The DNA encoding this region was obtained by PCR using the following two oligonucleotides: (1) an oligonucleotide encoding a SalI restriction site followed by the first six amino acids of murine TRIP1 and (2) an oligonucleotide corresponding to amino acids 866-871 followed by a TAG stop codon and a SalI restriction site. The template for this reaction were clones cm1-85-g3, cm3-1-e4 and bmst2-15-g6. PCR reactions were 15 cycles, 94° C. for 20 seconds, 55° C. for 10 seconds, and 72° C. for 30 seconds.

This reaction resulted in a band of approximately 2.6 kb on an agarose gel. This band was purified from the gel, digested with SalI and cloned into the XhoI site of the vector pCR3MycTag. pCR3MycTag was prepared as follows. The vector pCR3 (Invitrogen, San Diego, Calif.) was digested with KpnI and XhoI. A nucleic acid molecule encoding two copies of the c-myc epitope and an initiation Methionine was inserted into pCR3. The sequence of this insert is set forth below as SEQ ID NO:12. The resulting plasmid containing the TRIP1 insert (cDNA encoding amino acids 1-871) was termed pCR3MycTag2.

    __________________________________________________________________________     GGTACCGCCAGCCGAGCCACATCGCTCAGACACCATGATCGCAAATGTGAATATT                        GCTCAGGAACAAAAGCTTATTTCTGAAGAAGACTTGGCTCAGGAACAAAAGCTTA                           - TTTCTGAAGAAGACTTGGCTCAGCAGAGTGGCGGAGGACTCGAG (SEQ ID NO: 12)              __________________________________________________________________________

A second plasmid, pCR3MycTag3, which contained the cDNA encoding full length murine TRIP1, was prepared as follows. The plasmid pCR3MycTag2 was digested with EcoRI and XbaI (which served to delete the cDNA encoding amino acids 816-871 from the vector), and an XbaI/SalI linker was ligated into the digested plasmid. An EcoRI/SalI fragment 5.4 of clone cm3-1-e4 (corresponding to amino acids 816 to 2627 of murine TRIP1) was ligated into the vector. The resulting plasmid, pCR3MycTag3, has the following components (from 5' to 3'): an initiation codon, two c-myc epitopes, and the full length murine TRIP1 cDNA.

Full length and truncated (amino acids 1-871) murine TRIP1 protein was prepared as follows. Plasmid DNA from pCR3MycTag2 and pCR3MycTag3 was transfected into murine neuroblastoma N2A cells (American Type Culture Collection, catalog no. CCL131) by lipofection using the Perfect Lipid Transfection kit (Invitrogen, San Diego, Calif.). These cells are commonly used for transient and stable expression of foreign proteins. About 24 hours prior to transfection, the cells were seeded at about 700,000 per 100 mm dish in DMEM plus ten percent fetal calf serum, and PSG (penicillin, streptomycin, and glutamine). For lipofection, the cells were placed in about 6 ml of Optimem I reduced serum medium (Gibco/BRL, Grand Island, N.Y.) and about 174 μg of Pfx-6 (Invitrogen) and 29 μg of DNA were added. The cells were incubated for about 4 hours after which time the medium was replaced with fresh DMEM, fetal calf serum, and PSG medium as described above. The cells were harvested after about 24 hours, and were lysed using a Qiagen shredder (Qiagen, Chatsworth, Calif.) according to the manufacturer's protocol. Protein lysates were electrophoresed by 6 percent SDS-PAGE, transferred to a nylon membrane using standard methods, and incubated with a mouse monoclonal anti-myc antibody (Oncogene Research Products, Cambridge, Mass.). Binding of the anti-myc antibody was detected with a HRP-conjugated secondary antibody, and the complex was visualized using ECL (Amersham, Arlington Heights, Ill.) following the manufacturer's protocol. Cells transfected with the vector containing the TRIP1 truncated cDNA showed a prominent band of about 97 kD (corresponding to a polypeptide of about 871 amino acids), while cells transfected with the vector containing full length TRIP1 showed a prominent band of about 280 kD (corresponding to a polypeptide of about 2625 amino acids). These results indicated that TRIP1 truncated or full length protein was expressed in the cells.

4. Murine TRIP1 RNA-Binding Assay

To determine whether mTRIP1 had a specific interaction with the RNA molecule known to be mouse telomerase RNA, the three hybrid assay as described by SenGupta et al. (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA, 93:8496-8501 [1996]) was used. The starting plasmid described by SenGupta et al., pMS2-2, was altered by inserting, using standard ligation methods, a DNA encoding the full length mouse telomerase RNA transcript (mTR; Blasco et al., Science, 269:1267-1270 [1995]) into the SmaI polylinker site of pMS2-2 in the same orientation as the two MS2 DNA sequences at the 3' end of the polylinker region. (The RNA molecules α-mTR, TLC1, IRE and the mutant mTR molecules, all described in Table I below, were constructed in this same manner; U2, U4, and U6 were similarly tagged with the MS2 hairpins, but were inserted into a different URA3 selectable yeast plasmid, pRS316 [Sikorski et al., Genetics, 122:19-27, 1989]).

After this ligation, the resultant plasmid was digested with EcoRI, and the approximately 700 base pair (bp) fragment containing 5' to 3', mTR and the two MS2 DNA sequences, was isolated by standard agarose gel purification methods. This 700 bp fragment was then inserted into plasmid pIIIEx426 (SenGupta et al., supra) which had been previously digested with EcoRI. This plasmid was referred to as pIII-mTR.

A second plasmid was also prepared as follows. The starting plasmid was pACTII (Legrain et al., Nuc. Acids Res., 22:3241-3242 [1994]). pACTII was first digested with the enzyme BamHI, and the ends were blunted using T4 DNA polymerase. An SspI/XbaI fragment of plasmid pCR3MycTag2 (see above) was isolated using standard gel purification methods and blunt ended using T4 DNA polymerase. This fragment, which was about 2739 bp, contained 126 bp (42 amino acids) of vector sequence at the 5' end and the first 871 amino acids of mTRIP1. The fragment was inserted into the BamHI digested pACTII, and the resultant plasmid was referred to as pACTII/MTRIP1-S/X.

Plasmids pACTII/MTRIP1-S/X and pIII-mTR were introduced into yeast cells (strain L40-coat; SenGupta et al., supra) which had been cultured in standard yeast media (YEPD; Sherman et al., Meth. Yeast Genet., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. [1983]). Introduction (also referred to as transformation) of the plasmids was accomplished using standard methods such as those described by Chen et al. (Curr. Genet., 21:83-84 [1992]). Co-transformants (i.e., those yeast cells that contained both introduced plasmids) were selected by culturing the cells on yeast agar plates lacking leucine and uracil (SD-ura-leu; Sherman et al., supra) for two days at about 30° C. Eight separate, randomly selected colonies of cells that grew on these plates were repatched on fresh SD-ura-leu plates, and incubated as above. A small portion of each colony was plated on to yeast agar plates lacking uracil, leucine, histidine, and containing 5-20 mM 3-aminotriazole (Sigma, ST. Louis, Mo.), and the plates were incubated 3 days at about 30° C., after which time the number of colonies that grew (out of a total of eight) was assessed.

The results are shown in Table II below.

                  TABLE II                                                         ______________________________________                                                      INTERACTION                                                       RNA       PROTEIN  5 mM      10 mM 20 mM                                       ______________________________________                                         mTR       mTRIP1   8/8       8/8   8/8                                           mTR-1 mTRIP1 8/8 8/8 8/8                                                       mTR-3 mTRIP1 8/8 8/8 8/8                                                       mTR-27 mTRIP1 8/8 8/8 8/8                                                      U2 mTRIP1 0/8 0/8 0/8                                                          U4 mTRIP1 0/8 0/8 0/8                                                          U6 MTRIP1 0/8 0/8 0/8                                                          TLC1 mTRIP1 0/8 0/8 0/8                                                        α-mTR mTRIP1 0/8 0/8 0/8                                                 mTR-1 IRP 0/8 0/8 0/8                                                          IRE IRP 8/8 8/8 8/8                                                            IRE mTRIP1 7/8 7/8 7/8                                                         MS2 mTRIP1 7/8 6/8 5/8                                                       ______________________________________                                    

In Table II, the column labeled "RNA" refers to the MS2 tagged RNA molecules that were tested. mTR is wild type mouse telomerase RNA; mTR-1 is a substitution mutant of mTR and contains a T instead of a C at position 142 (relative to the transcription start site; see Blasco et al. supra), a C instead of a G at position 202, and an A instead of a G at position 227; mTR-3 contains an A instead of a G at position 272 and is also an insertion mutant of mTR in which two nucleotides, A and G, were inserted after nucleotide 268 in the mTR transcript (Blasco et al., supra); mTR-27 is a substitution mutant of mTR that contains an A instead of a G at position 33; U2, U4, and U6 are snRNAs (Ares, Cell, 47:44-59 [1986]; Tollervey et al., Cell, 35:753-762 [1983]; Brow et al., Nature, 334:213-218 [1988]); TLC1 is the yeast telomerase RNA gene (Singer et al., Science, 266:404-409 [1994]); α-mTR is the mTR sequence cloned in the anti-sense direction relative to the MS2 hairpins; IRE is the rat iron regulatory element RNA (Fields et al., supra); and MS2 refers to the MS2 hairpins without additional RNA attached.

The column labeled "Protein" refers to proteins that were co-introduced along with the test RNA molecules to evaluate RNA-protein interaction in the three hybrid assay. "mTRIP1" is the amino terminal fragment of the mTRIP1 gene and consists of the amino terminal 871 amino acids of the protein; and IRP is the iron regulatory element binding protein (SenGupta et al., supra).

The column labeled "Interaction" refers to the concentration (5, 10, or 20 mM) of 3-aminotriazole on the yeast agar plates.

The number of colonies of out a total of eight that showed detectable growth after 3 days is indicated for each RNA/protein pair. As can be seen, the mouse telomerase RNA, whether wild type or mutant, specifically interacted with mTRIP1. With the exception of IRE, the other RNA molecules, U2, U4, U6, TLC1, and α-mTR, did not interact with mTRIP1. MS2 alone interacted with mTRIP1 to some degree at low concentrations of 3-aminotriazole. Specificity of binding of mTR was further confirmed by demonstrating that IRP, which is known to interact with IRE (and was therefore used as a positive control), did not interact with mTR-1.

Deposit of TRIP1 cDNA

E. coli cells containing the plasmid pCR3 with the insert TRIP1MycTag3 (encoding mouse full length TRIP1 polypeptide) has been deposited with the ATCC (American Type Culture Collection, 12301 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, Md., USA) on Nov. 8, 1996 as accession number 98250. In addition, four separate clones of E coli cells containing the plasmid pSPORT into which a portion of the human TRIP1 cDNA coding sequence were deposited with the ATCC on the same date. Clone 15 contains cDNA encoding amino acids 1046-2627 and has ATCC accession number 98254; clone 54 contains cDNA encoding amino acids 423-1467 and has ATCC accession number 98253; clone 63 contains cDNA encoding amino acids 1346-2488 and has ATCC accession number 98252; and clone 96 contains cDNA encoding amino acids 1-567 and has ATCC accession number 98251.

    __________________________________________________________________________     #             SEQUENCE LISTING                                                    - -  - - (1) GENERAL INFORMATION:                                              - -    (iii) NUMBER OF SEQUENCES: 12                                           - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:1:                                      - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 7881 base - #pairs                                                 (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                  - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA                                               - -     (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:1:                                - - ATGGAAAAAC TCCATGGGCA TGTGTCTGCC CATCCAGACA TCCTCTCCTT GG -             #AGAACCGG     60                                                                  - - TGCCTGGCTA TGCTCCCTGA CTTACAGCCC TTGGAGAAAC TACATCAGCA TG -             #TATCTACC    120                                                                  - - CACTCAGATA TCCTCTCCTT GAAGAACCAG TGCCTAGCCA CGCTTCCTGA CC -             #TGAAGACC    180                                                                  - - ATGGAAAAAC CACATGGATA TGTGTCTGCC CACCCAGACA TCCTCTCCTT GG -             #AGAACCAG    240                                                                  - - TGCCTGGCCA CACTTTCTGA CCTGAAGACC ATGGAGAAAC CACATGGACA TG -             #TTTCTGCC    300                                                                  - - CACCCAGACA TCCTCTCCTT GGAGAACCGG TGCCTGGCCA CCCTCCCTAG TC -             #TAAAGAGC    360                                                                  - - ACTGTGTCTG CCAGCCCCTT GTTCCAGAGT CTACAGATAT CTCACATGAC GC -             #AAGCTGAT    420                                                                  - - TTGTACCGTG TGAACAACAG CAATTGCCTG CTCTCTGAGC CTCCAAGTTG GA -             #GGGCTCAG    480                                                                  - - CATTTCTCTA AGGGACTAGA CCTTTCAACC TGCCCTATAG CCCTGAAATC CA -             #TCTCTGCC    540                                                                  - - ACAGAGACAG CTCAGGAAGC AACTTTGGGT CGTTGGTTTG ATTCAGAAGA GA -             #AGAAAGGG    600                                                                  - - GCAGAGACCC AAATGCCTTC TTATAGTCTG AGCTTGGGAG AGGAGGAGGA GG -             #TGGAGGAT    660                                                                  - - CTGGCCGTGA AGCTCACCTC TGGAGACTCT GAATCTCATC CAGAGCCTAC TG -             #ACCATGTC    720                                                                  - - CTTCAGGAAA AGAAGATGGC TCTACTGAGC TTGCTGTGCT CTACTCTGGT CT -             #CAGAAGTA    780                                                                  - - AACATGAACA ATACATCTGA CCCCACCCTG GCTGCCATTT TTGAAATCTG TC -             #GTGAACTT    840                                                                  - - GCCCTCCTGG AGCCTGAGTT TATCCTCAAG GCATCTTTGT ATGCCAGGCA GC -             #AGCTGAAC    900                                                                  - - GTCCGGAATG TGGCCAATAA CATCTTGGCC ATTGCTGCTT TCTTGCCGGC GT -             #GTCGCCCC    960                                                                  - - CACCTGCGAC GATATTTCTG TGCCATTGTC CAGCTGCCTT CTGACTGGAT CC -             #AGGTGGCT   1020                                                                  - - GAGCTTTACC AGAGCCTGGC TGAGGGAGAT AAGAATAAGC TGGTGCCCCT GC -             #CCGCCTGT   1080                                                                  - - CTCCGTACTG CCATGACGGA CAAATTTGCC CAGTTTGACG AGTACCAGCT GG -             #CTAAGTAC   1140                                                                  - - AACCCTCGGA AGCACCGGGC CAAGAGACAC CCCCGCCGGC CACCCCGCTC TC -             #CAGGGATG   1200                                                                  - - GAGCCTCCAT TTTCTCACAG ATGTTTTCCA AGGTACATAG GGTTTCTCAG AG -             #AAGAGCAG   1260                                                                  - - AGAAAGTTTG AGAAGGCCGG TGATACAGTG TCAGAGAAAA AGAATCCTCC AA -             #GGTTCACC   1320                                                                  - - CTGAAGAAGC TGGTTCAGCG ACTGCACATC CACAAGCCTG CCCAGCACGT TC -             #AAGCCCTG   1380                                                                  - - CTGGGTTACA GATACCCCTC CAACCTACAG CTCTTTTCTC GAAGTCGCCT TC -             #CTGGGCCT   1440                                                                  - - TGGGATTCTA GCAGAGCTGG GAAGAGGATG AAGCTGTCTA GGCCAGAGAC CT -             #GGGAGCGG   1500                                                                  - - GAGCTGAGCC TACGGGGGAA CAAAGCGTCG GTCTGGGAGG AACTCATTGA AA -             #ATGGGAAG   1560                                                                  - - CTTCCCTTCA TGGCCATGCT TCGGAACCTG TGCAACCTGC TGCGGGTTGG AA -             #TCAGTTCC   1620                                                                  - - CGCCACCATG AGCTCATTCT CCAGAGACTC CAGCATGGGA AGTCGGTGAT CC -             #ACAGTCGG   1680                                                                  - - CAGTTTCCAT TCAGATTTCT TAACGCCCAT GATGCCATTG ATGCCCTCGA GG -             #CTCAACTC   1740                                                                  - - AGAAATCAAG CATTGCCCTT TCCTTCGAAT ATAACACTGA TGAGGCGGAT AC -             #TAACTAGA   1800                                                                  - - AATGAAAAGA ACCGTCCCAG GCGGAGGTTT CTTTGCCACC TAAGCCGTCA GC -             #AGCTTCGT   1860                                                                  - - ATGGCAATGA GGATACCTGT GTTGTATGAG CAGCTCAAGA GGGAGAAGCT GA -             #GAGTACAC   1920                                                                  - - AAGGCCAGAC AGTGGAAATA TGATGGTGAG ATGCTGAACA GGTACCGACA GG -             #CCCTAGAG   1980                                                                  - - ACAGCTGTGA ACCTCTCTGT GAAGCACAGC CTGCCCCTGC TGCCAGGCCG CA -             #CTGTCTTG   2040                                                                  - - GTCTATCTGA CAGATGCTAA TGCAGACAGG CTCTGTCCAA AGAGCAACCC AC -             #AAGGGCCC   2100                                                                  - - CCGCTGAACT ATGCACTGCT GTTGATTGGG ATGATGATCA CGAGGGCGGA GC -             #AGGTGGAC   2160                                                                  - - GTCGTGCTGT GTGGAGGTGA CACTCTGAAG ACTGCAGTGC TTAAGGCAGA AG -             #AAGGCATC   2220                                                                  - - CTGAAGACTG CCATCAAGCT CCAGGCTCAA GTCCAGGAGT TTGATGAAAA TG -             #ATGGATGG   2280                                                                  - - TCCCTGAATA CTTTTGGGAA ATACCTGCTG TCTCTGGCTG GCCAAAGGGT TC -             #CTGTGGAC   2340                                                                  - - AGGGTCATCC TCCTTGGCCA AAGCATGGAT GATGGAATGA TAAATGTGGC CA -             #AACAGCTT   2400                                                                  - - TACTGGCAGC GTGTGAATTC CAAGTGCCTC TTTGTTGGTA TCCTCCTAAG AA -             #GGGTACAA   2460                                                                  - - TACCTGTCAA CAGATTTGAA TCCCAATGAT GTGACACTCT CAGGCTGTAC TG -             #ATGCGATA   2520                                                                  - - CTGAAGTTCA TTGCAGAGCA TGGGGCCTCC CATCTTCTGG AACATGTGGG CC -             #AAATGGAC   2580                                                                  - - AAAATATTCA AGATTCCACC ACCCCCAGGA AAGACAGGGG TCCAGTCTCT CC -             #GGCCACTG   2640                                                                  - - GAAGAGGACA CTCCAAGCCC CTTGGCTCCT GTTTCCCAGC AAGGATGGCG CA -             #GCATCCGG   2700                                                                  - - CTTTTCATTT CATCCACTTT CCGAGACATG CACGGGGAGC GGGACCTGCT GC -             #TGAGGTCT   2760                                                                  - - GTGCTGCCAG CACTGCAGGC CCGAGCGGCC CCTCACCGTA TCAGCCTTCA CG -             #GAATCGAC   2820                                                                  - - CTCCGCTGGG GCGTCACTGA GGAGGAGACC CGTAGGAACA GACAACTGGA AG -             #TGTGCCTT   2880                                                                  - - GGGGAGGTGG AGAACGCACA GCTGTTTGTG GGGATTCTGG GCTCCCGTTA TG -             #GATACATT   2940                                                                  - - CCCCCCAGCT ACAACCTTCC TGACCATCCA CACTTCCACT GGGCCCAGCA GT -             #ACCCTTCA   3000                                                                  - - GGGCGCTCTG TGACAGAGAT GGAGGTGATG CAGTTCCTGA ACCGGAACCA AC -             #GTCTGCAG   3060                                                                  - - CCCTCTGCCC AAGCTCTCAT CTACTTCCGG GATTCCAGCT TCCTCAGCTC TG -             #TGCCAGAT   3120                                                                  - - GCCTGGAAAT CTGACTTTGT TTCTGAGTCT GAAGAGGCCG CATGTCGGAT CT -             #CAGAACTG   3180                                                                  - - AAGAGCTACC TAAGCAGACA GAAAGGGATA ACCTGCCGCA GATACCCCTG TG -             #AGTGGGGG   3240                                                                  - - GGTGTGGCAG CTGGCCGGCC CTATGTTGGC GGGCTGGAGG AGTTTGGGCA GT -             #TGGTTCTG   3300                                                                  - - CAGGATGTAT GGAATATGAT CCAGAAGCTC TACCTGCAGC CTGGGGCCCT GC -             #TGGAGCAG   3360                                                                  - - CCAGTGTCCA TCCCAGACGA TGACTTGGTC CAGGCCACCT TCCAGCAGCT GC -             #AGAAGCCA   3420                                                                  - - CCGAGTCCTG CCCGGCCACG CCTTCTTCAG GACACAGTGC AACAGCTGAT GC -             #TGCCCCAC   3480                                                                  - - GGAAGGCTGA GCCTGGTGAC GGGGCAGTCA GGACAGGGCA AGACAGCCTT CC -             #TGGCATCT   3540                                                                  - - CTTGTGTCAG CCCTGCAGGC TCCTGATGGG GCCAAGGTGG CACCATTAGT CT -             #TCTTCCAC   3600                                                                  - - TTTTCTGGGG CTCGTCCTGA CCAGGGTCTT GCCCTCACTC TGCTCAGACG CC -             #TCTGTACC   3660                                                                  - - TATCTGCGTG GCCAACTAAA AGAGCCAGGT GCCCTCCCCA GCACCTACCG AA -             #GCCTGGTG   3720                                                                  - - TGGGAGCTGC AGCAGAGGCT GCTGCCCAAG TCTGCTGAGT CCCTGCATCC TG -             #GCCAGACC   3780                                                                  - - CAGGTCCTGA TCATCGATGG GGCTGATAGG TTAGTGGACC AGAATGGGCA GC -             #TGATTTCA   3840                                                                  - - GACTGGATCC CAAAGAAGCT TCCCCGGTGT GTACACCTGG TGCTGAGTGT GT -             #CTAGTGAT   3900                                                                  - - GCAGGCCTAG GGGAGACCCT TGAGCAGAGC CAGGGTGCCC ACGTGCTGGC CT -             #TGGGGCCT   3960                                                                  - - CTGGAGGCCT CTGCTCGGGC CCGGCTGGTG AGAGAGGAGC TGGCCCTGTA CG -             #GGAAGCGG   4020                                                                  - - CTGGAGGAGT CACCATTTAA CAACCAGATG CGACTGCTGC TGGTGAAGCG GG -             #AATCAGGC   4080                                                                  - - CGGCCGCTCT ACCTGCGCTT GGTCACCGAT CACCTGAGGC TCTTCACGCT GT -             #ATGAGCAG   4140                                                                  - - GTGTCTGAGA GACTCCGGAC CCTGCCTGCC ACTGTCCCCC TGCTGCTGCA GC -             #ACATCCTG   4200                                                                  - - AGCACACTGG AGAAGGAGCA CGGGCCTGAT GTCCTTCCCC AGGCCTTGAC TG -             #CCCTAGAA   4260                                                                  - - GTCACACGGA GTGGTTTGAC TGTGGACCAG CTGCACGGAG TGCTGAGTGT GT -             #GGCGGACA   4320                                                                  - - CTACCGAAGG GGACTAAGAG CTGGGAAGAA GCAGTGGCTG CTGGTAACAG TG -             #GAGACCCC   4380                                                                  - - TACCCCATGG GCCCGTTTGC CTGCCTCGTC CAGAGTCTGC GCAGTTTGCT AG -             #GGGAGGGC   4440                                                                  - - CCTCTGGAGC GCCCTGGTGC CCGGCTGTGC CTCCCTGATG GGCCCCTGAG AA -             #CAGCAGCT   4500                                                                  - - AAACGTTGCT ATGGGAAGAG GCCAGGGCTA GAGGACACGG CACACATCCT CA -             #TTGCAGCT   4560                                                                  - - CAGCTCTGGA AGACATGTGA CGCTGATGCC TCAGGCACCT TCCGAAGTTG CC -             #CTCCTGAG   4620                                                                  - - GCTCTGGGAG ACCTGCCTTA CCACCTGCTC CAGAGCGGGA ACCGTGGACT TC -             #TTTCGAAG   4680                                                                  - - TTCCTTACCA ACCTCCATGT GGTGGCTGCA CACTTGGAAT TGGGTCTGGT CT -             #CTCGGCTC   4740                                                                  - - TTGGAGGCCC ATGCCCTCTA TGCTTCTTCA GTCCCCAAAG AGGAACAAAA GC -             #TCCCCGAG   4800                                                                  - - GCTGACGTTG CAGTGTTTCG CACCTTCCTG AGGCAGCAGG CTTCAATCCT CA -             #GCCAGTAC   4860                                                                  - - CCCCGGCTCC TGCCCCAGCA GGCAGCCAAC CAGCCCCTGG ACTCACCTCT TT -             #GCCACCAA   4920                                                                  - - GCCTCGCTGC TCTCCCGGAG ATGGCACCTC CAACACACAC TACGATGGCT TA -             #ATAAACCC   4980                                                                  - - CGGACCATGA AAAATCAGCA AAGCTCCAGC CTGTCTCTGG CAGTTTCCTC AT -             #CCCCTACT   5040                                                                  - - GCTGTGGCCT TCTCCACCAA TGGGCAAAGA GCAGCTGTGG GCACTGCCAA TG -             #GGACAGTT   5100                                                                  - - TACCTGTTGG ACCTGAGAAC TTGGCAGGAG GAGAAGTCTG TGGTGAGTGG CT -             #GTGATGGA   5160                                                                  - - ATCTCTGCTT GTTTGTTCCT CTCCGATGAT ACACTCTTTC TTACTGCCTT CG -             #ACGGGCTC   5220                                                                  - - CTGGAGCTCT GGGACCTGCA GCATGGTTGT CGGGTGCTGC AGACTAAGGC TC -             #ACCAGTAC   5280                                                                  - - CAAATCACTG GCTGCTGCCT GAGCCCAGAC TGCCGGCTGC TAGCCACCGT GT -             #GCTTGGGA   5340                                                                  - - GGATGCCTAA AGCTGTGGGA CACAGTCCGT GGGCAGCTGG CCTTCCAGCA CA -             #CCTACCCC   5400                                                                  - - AAGTCCCTGA ACTGTGTTGC CTTCCACCCA GAGGGGCAGG TAATAGCCAC AG -             #GCAGCTGG   5460                                                                  - - GCTGGCAGCA TCAGCTTCTT CCAGGTGGAT GGGCTCAAAG TCACCAAGGA CC -             #TGGGGGCA   5520                                                                  - - CCCGGAGCCT CTATCCGTAC CTTGGCCTTC AATGTGCCTG GGGGGGTTGT GG -             #CTGTGGGC   5580                                                                  - - CGGCTGGACA GTATGGTGGA GCTGTGGGCC TGGCGAGAAG GGGCACGGCT GG -             #CTGCCTTC   5640                                                                  - - CCTGCCCACC ATGGCTTTGT TGCTGCTGCG CTTTTCCTGC ATGCGGGTTG CC -             #AGTTACTG   5700                                                                  - - ACGGCTGGAG AGGATGGCAA GGTTCAGGTG TGGTCAGGGT CTCTGGGTCG GC -             #CCCGTGGG   5760                                                                  - - CACCTGGGTT CCCTTTCTCT CTCTCCTGCC CTCTCTGTGG CACTCAGCCC AG -             #ATGGTGAT   5820                                                                  - - CGGGTGGCTG TTGGATATCG AGCGGATGGC ATTAGGATCT ACAAAATCTC TT -             #CAGGTTCC   5880                                                                  - - CAGGGGGCTC AGGGTCAGGC ACTGGATGTG GCAGTGTCCG CCCTGGCCTG GC -             #TAAGCCCC   5940                                                                  - - AAGGTATTGG TGAGTGGTGC AGAAGATGGG TCCTTGCAGG GCTGGGCACT CA -             #AGGAATGC   6000                                                                  - - TCCCTTCAGT CCCTCTGGCT CCTGTCCAGA TTCCAGAAGC CTGTGCTAGG AC -             #TGGCCACT   6060                                                                  - - TCCCAGGAGC TCTTGGCTTC TGCCTCAGAG GATTTCACAG TGCAGCTGTG GC -             #CAAGGCAG   6120                                                                  - - CTGCTGACGC GGCCACACAA GGCAGAAGAC TTTCCCTGTG GCACTGAGCT GC -             #GGGGACAT   6180                                                                  - - GAGGGCCCTG TGAGCTGCTG TAGTTTCAGC ACTGATGGAG GCAGCCTGGC CA -             #CCGGGGGC   6240                                                                  - - CGGGATCGGA GTCTCCTCTG CTGGGACGTG AGGACACCCA AAACCCCTGT TT -             #TGATCCAC   6300                                                                  - - TCCTTCCCTG CCTGTCACCG TGACTGGGTC ACTGGCTGTG CCTGGACCAA AG -             #ATAACCTA   6360                                                                  - - CTGATATCCT GCTCCAGTGA TGGCTCTGTG GGGCTCTGGG ACCCAGAGTC AG -             #GACAGCGG   6420                                                                  - - CTTGGTCAGT TCCTGGGTCA TCAGAGTGCT GTGAGCGCTG TGGCAGCTGT GG -             #AGGAGCAC   6480                                                                  - - GTGGTGTCTG TGAGCCGGGA TGGGACCTTG AAAGTGTGGG ACCATCAAGG CG -             #TGGAGCTG   6540                                                                  - - ACCAGCATCC CTGCTCACTC AGGACCCATT AGCCACTGTG CAGCTGCCAT GG -             #AGCCCCGT   6600                                                                  - - GCAGCTGGAC AGCCTGGGTC AGAGCTTCTG GTGGTAACCG TCGGGCTAGA TG -             #GGGCCACA   6660                                                                  - - CGGTTATGGC ATCCACTCTT GGTGTGCCAA ACCCACACCC TCCTGGGACA CA -             #GCGGCCCA   6720                                                                  - - GTCCGTGCTG CTGCTGTTTC AGAAACCTCA GGCCTCATGC TGACCGCCTC TG -             #AGGATGGT   6780                                                                  - - TCTGTACGGC TCTGGCAGGT TCCTAAGGAA GCAGATGACA CATGTATACC AA -             #GGAGTTCT   6840                                                                  - - GCAGCCGTCA CTGCTGTGGC TTGGGCACCA GATGGTTCCA TGGCAGTATC TG -             #GAAATCAA   6900                                                                  - - GCTGGGGAAC TAATCTTGTG GCAGGAAGCT AAGGCTGTGG CCACAGCACA GG -             #CTCCAGGC   6960                                                                  - - CACATTGGTG CTCTGATCTG GTCCTCGGCA CACACCTTTT TTGTCCTCAG TG -             #CTGATGAG   7020                                                                  - - AAAATCAGCG AGTGGCAAGT GAAACTGCGG AAGGGTTCGG CACCCGGAAA TT -             #TGAGTCTT   7080                                                                  - - CACCTGAACC GAATTCTACA GGAGGACTTA GGGGTGCTGA CAAGTCTGGA TT -             #GGGCTCCT   7140                                                                  - - GATGGTCACT TTCTCATCTT GGCCAAAGCA GATTTGAAGT TACTTTGCAT GA -             #AGCCAGGG   7200                                                                  - - GATGCTCCAT CTGAAATCTG GAGCAGCTAT ACAGAAAATC CTATGATATT GT -             #CCACCCAC   7260                                                                  - - AAGGAGTATG GCATATTTGT CCTGCAGCCC AAGGATCCTG GAGTTCTTTC TT -             #TCTTGAGG   7320                                                                  - - CAAAAGGAAT CAGGAGAGTT TGAAGAGAGG CTGAACTTTG ATATAAACTT AG -             #AGAATCCT   7380                                                                  - - AGTAGGACCC TAATATCGAT AACTCAAGCC AAACCTGAAT CTGAGTCCTC AT -             #TTTTGTGT   7440                                                                  - - GCCAGCTCTG ATGGGATCCT ATGGAACCTG GCCAAATGCA GCCCAGAAGG AG -             #AATGGACC   7500                                                                  - - ACAGGTAACA TGTGGCAGAA AAAAGCAAAC ACTCCAGAAA CCCAAACTCC AG -             #GGACAGAC   7560                                                                  - - CCATCTACCT GCAGGGAATC TGATGCCAGC ATGGATAGTG ATGCCAGCAT GG -             #ATAGTGAG   7620                                                                  - - CCAACACCAC ATCTAAAGAC ACGGCAGCGT AGAAAGATTC ACTCGGGCTC TG -             #TCACAGCC   7680                                                                  - - CTCCATGTGC TACCTGAGTT GCTGGTGACA GCTTCGAAGG ACAGAGATGT TA -             #AGCTATGG   7740                                                                  - - GAGAGACCCA GTATGCAGCT GCTGGGCCTG TTCCGATGCG AAGGGTCAGT GA -             #GCTGCCTG   7800                                                                  - - GAACCTTGGC TGGGCGCTAA CTCCACCCTG CAGCTTGCCG TGGGAGACGT GC -             #AGGGCAAT   7860                                                                  - - GTGTACTTTC TGAATTGGGA A           - #                  - #                     7881                                                                      - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:2:                                      - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 7886 base - #pairs                                                 (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                  - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA                                               - -     (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:2:                                - - ATGGAGAAGC TCTGTGGGCA TGTGCCTGGC CATTCAGACA TCCTCTCCTT GA -              #AGAACCGG     60                                                                  - - TGCCTGACCA TGCTCCCTGA CCTCCAGCCC CTGGAGAAAA TACATGGACA TA -             #GATCTGTC    120                                                                  - - CACTCAGACA TCCTTTCCTT GGAGAACCAG TGTCTGACCA TGCTCTCTGA CC -             #TCCAGCCC    180                                                                  - - ACGGAGAGAA TAGATGGGCA TATATCTGTC CACCCAGACA TCCTCTCCTT GG -             #AGAATCGG    240                                                                  - - TGCCTGACCA TGCTCCCTGA CCTCCAGCCT CTGGAGAAGC TATGTGGACA TA -             #TGTCTAGT    300                                                                  - - CATCCAGACG TCCTTTCTTT GGAAAACCAA TGTCTAGCTA CTCTCCCCAC TG -             #TAAAGAGC    360                                                                  - - ACTGCATTGA CCAGCCCCTT GCTCCAGGGT CTTCACATAT CTCATACGGC AC -             #AAGCTGAT    420                                                                  - - CTGCATAGCC TGAAAACTAG CAACTGCCTG CTCCCTGAGC TTCCTACCAA GA -             #AGACTCCA    480                                                                  - - TGTTTCTCTG AGGAACTAGA CCTTCCACCT GGACCCAGGG CCCTGAAATC CA -             #TGTCTGCT    540                                                                  - - ACAGCTCAAG TCCAGGAAGT AGCCTTGGGT CAATGGTGTG TCTCCAAAGA AA -             #AGGAATTT    600                                                                  - - CAAGAAGAAG AAAGCACAGA AGTCCCATGC CTTTGTACAG TCTAAGCTTG GA -             #AGAAGAAG    660                                                                  - - AAGTGGAGGC ACCGGTCTTA AAACTCACAT CTGGAGACTC TGGCTTTCAT CC -             #TGAAACCA    720                                                                  - - CTGACCAGGT CCTTCAGGAG AAGAAGATGG CTCTCTTGAC CTTACTCTGC TC -             #TGCTCTGG    780                                                                  - - CCTCAAATGT GAATGTGAAA GATGCATCTG ACCTTACCCG GGCATCCATC CT -             #TGAAGTCT    840                                                                  - - GTAGTGCCCT GGCCTCCTTG GAACCGGAGT TCATCCTTAA GGCATCTTTG TA -             #TGCTCGGC    900                                                                  - - AGCAACTTAA CCTCCGGGAC ATCGCCAATA CAGTTCTGGC TGTGGCTGCC CT -             #CTTGCCAG    960                                                                  - - CCTGCCGCCC CCATGTACGA CGGTATTACT CCGCCATTGT TCACCTGCCT TC -             #AGACTGGA   1020                                                                  - - TCCAGGTAGC CGAGTTCTAC CAGAGCCTGG CAGAAGGGGA TGAGAAGAAG TT -             #GGTGTCCC   1080                                                                  - - TGCCTGCCTG TCTCCGAGCT GCCATGACCG ACAAATTTGC CGAGTTTGAT GA -             #GTACCAGC   1140                                                                  - - TAGCTAAGTA CAACCCACGG AAACATCGGT CCAAGAGGCG GTCCCGCCAG CC -             #ACCCCGCC   1200                                                                  - - CTCAAAAGAC AGAACGTCCA TTTTCAGAGA GAGGGAAATG TTTTCCAAAG AG -             #CCTTTGGC   1260                                                                  - - CCCTTAAAAA TGAACAGATT ACGTTTGAAG CAGCTTATAA TGCAATGCCA GA -             #GAAAAACA   1320                                                                  - - GGCTACCACG GTTCACTCTG AAGAAGTTGG TAGAGTATCT ACATATCCAC AA -             #GCCTGCTC   1380                                                                  - - AGCACGTCCA GGCCCTGCTG GGCTACAGGT ACCCAGCCAC CCTAGAGCTC TT -             #TTCTCGGA   1440                                                                  - - GTCACCTCCC TGGGCCGTGG GAGTCTAGCA GAGCTGGTCA GCGGATGAAG CT -             #CCGAAGGC   1500                                                                  - - CAGAGACCTG GGAGCGGGAG CTGAGTTTAC GGGGAAACAA AGCTTCTGTG TG -             #GGAGGAGC   1560                                                                  - - TCATAGACAA TGGGAAACTG CCCTTCATGG CCATGCTCCG GAACCTGTGT AA -             #CCTGCTGC   1620                                                                  - - GGACTGGGAT CAGTGCCCGC CACCATGAAC TCGTTCTCCA GAGACTCCAG CA -             #TGAGAAAT   1680                                                                  - - CTGTGGTTCA CAGTCGGCAG TTTCCATTCA GATTCCTTAA TGCTCATGAC TC -             #TATCGATA   1740                                                                  - - AACTTGAGGC TCAGCTCAGA AGCAAAGCAT CACCCTTCCC TTCCAATACA AC -             #ATTGATGA   1800                                                                  - - AACGGATAAT GATTAGAAAC TCAAAAAAAA ATAGGAGGCC TGCCAGTCGG AA -             #GCACCTGT   1860                                                                  - - GCACCCTGAC GCGCCGGCAG CTTCGGGCAG CAATGACTAT ACCTGTGATG TA -             #TGAGCAGC   1920                                                                  - - TCAAGCGGGA GAAACTGAGG CTGCACAAGG CCAGACAATG GAACTGTGAT GT -             #TGAGTTGC   1980                                                                  - - TGGAGCGCTA TCGCCAGGCC CTGGAAACAG CTGTGAACCT CTCAGTAAAG CA -             #CAACCTAT   2040                                                                  - - CCCCGATGCC TGGCCGAACC CTCTTGGTCT ATCTCACAGA TGCAAATGCC GA -             #CAGGCTCT   2100                                                                  - - GTCCCAAGAG TCACTCACAA GGGCCTCCCC TGAACTATGT GCTGCTGCTG AT -             #CGGAATGA   2160                                                                  - - TGGTGGCTCG AGCCGAGCAA GTGACTGTTT GCTTGTGTGG GGGAGGATTT GT -             #GAAGACAC   2220                                                                  - - CGGTACTTAC AGCCGATGAA GGCATCCTGA AGACTGCCAT CAAACTTCAG GC -             #TCAAGTCC   2280                                                                  - - AGGAGTTAGA AGGCAATGAT GAGTGGCCCC TGGACACTTT TGGGAAGTAT CT -             #GCTGTCTC   2340                                                                  - - TGGCTGTCCA AAGGACCCCC ATTGACAGGG TCATCCTGTT TGGTCAAAGG AT -             #GGATACCG   2400                                                                  - - AGCTCCTGAA AGTAGCCAAA CAGATTATCT GGCAGCATGT GAATTCCAAG TG -             #CCTCTTTG   2460                                                                  - - TTGGTGTCCT CCTACAGAAA ACACAGTACA TATCACCAAA TTTGAATCCC AA -             #CGATGTGA   2520                                                                  - - CGCTCTCAGG CTGCACTGAC GGGATCCTGA AATTCATTGC CGAACATGGA GC -             #CTCTCGTC   2580                                                                  - - TCCTGGAACA TGTGGGACAA CTAGATAAAC TATTCAAGAT CCCCCCACCC CC -             #AGGAAAGA   2640                                                                  - - CACAGGCACC GTCTCTCCGG CCGCTGGAGG AGAACATCCC TGGTCCCTTG GG -             #TCCTATTT   2700                                                                  - - CCCAGCATGG ATGGCGCAAT ATCCGGCTTT TCATTTCATC CACTTTCCGT GA -             #CATGCATG   2760                                                                  - - GGGAGCGAGA TTTGCTGATG AGATCTGTTC TGCCCGCACT GCAGGCCAGA GT -             #GTTCCCCC   2820                                                                  - - ACCGCATCAG TCTTCACGCC ATTGACCTGC GCTGGGGTAT CACAGAGGAA GA -             #GACCCGCA   2880                                                                  - - GGAACAGACA ACTGGAAGTG TGCCTTGGGG AGGTGGAGAA CTCACAGCTG TT -             #CGTGGGGA   2940                                                                  - - TTCTGGGCTC CCGCTATGGC TACATTCCCC CCAGCTATGA TCTTCCTGAT CA -             #TCCCCACT   3000                                                                  - - TTCACTGGAC CCATGAGTAC CCTTCAGGGC GATCCGTGAC AGAGATGGAG GT -             #GATGCAAT   3060                                                                  - - TCCTGAACCG TGGCCAACGC TCGCAGCCTT CGGCCCAAGC TCTCATCTAC TT -             #CCGAGATC   3120                                                                  - - CTGATTTCCT TAGCTCTGTG CCAGATGCCT GGAAACCTGA CTTTATATCT GA -             #GTCAGAAG   3180                                                                  - - AAGCTGCACA TCGGGTCTCA GAGCTGAAGA GATATCTACA CGAACAGAAA GA -             #GGTTACCT   3240                                                                  - - GTCGCAGCTA CTCCTGTGAA TGGGGAGGTG TAGCGGCTGG CCGGCCCTAT AC -             #TGGGGGCC   3300                                                                  - - TGGAGGAGTT TGGACAGTTG GTTCTCCAGG ATGTGTGGAG CATGATCCAG AA -             #GCAGCACC   3360                                                                  - - TGCAGCCTGG GGCCCAGTTG GAGCAGCCAA CATCCATCTC AGAAGACGAT TT -             #GATCCAGA   3420                                                                  - - CCAGCTTTCA GCAGCTGAAG ACCCCAACGA GTCCGGCACG GCCACGCCTT CT -             #TCAGGATA   3480                                                                  - - CAGTGCAGCA GCTGTTGCTG CCCCATGGGA GGCTGAGCCT AGTGACTGGG CA -             #GGCAGGAC   3540                                                                  - - AGGGAAAGAC TGCCTTTCTG GCATCCCTTG TGTCTGCCCT GAAGGTCCCT GA -             #CCAGCCCA   3600                                                                  - - ATGAGCCCCC GTTCGTTTTC TTCCACTTTG CAGCAGCCCG CCCTGACCAG TG -             #TCTTGCTC   3660                                                                  - - TCAACCTCCT CAGACGCCTC TGTACCCATC TGCGTCAAAA ACTGGGAGAG CT -             #GAGTGCCC   3720                                                                  - - TCCCCAGCAC TTACAGAGGC CTGGTGTGGG AACTGCAGCA GAAGTTGCTC CT -             #CAAATTCG   3780                                                                  - - CTCAGTCGCT GCAGCCTGCT CAGACTTTGG TCCTTATCAT CGATGGGGCA GA -             #TAAGTTGG   3840                                                                  - - TGGATCGTAA TGGGCAGCTG ATTTCAGACT GGATCCCCAA GTCTCTTCCG CG -             #GCGAGTAC   3900                                                                  - - ACCTGGTGCT GAGTGTGTCC AGTGACTCAG GCCTGGGTGA GACCCTTCAG CA -             #AAGTCAGG   3960                                                                  - - GTGCTTATGT GGTGGCCTTG GGCTCTTTGG TCCCATCTTC AAGGGCTCAG CT -             #TGTGAGAG   4020                                                                  - - AAGAGCTAGC ACTGTATGGG AAACGACTGG AGGAGTCACC TTTTAACAAC CA -             #GATGCGGC   4080                                                                  - - TGCTGCTGGC AAAGCAGGGT TCAAGCCTGC CATTGTACCT GCACCTTGTC AC -             #TGACTACC   4140                                                                  - - TGAGGCTCTT CACACTGTAT GAACAGGTGT CTGAGAGACT TCGAACCCTG CC -             #CGCCACTC   4200                                                                  - - TCCCACTGCT CTTGCAGCAC ATCCTGAGCA CCTTGGAGCA AGAACATGGC CA -             #TGATGTCC   4260                                                                  - - TTCCTCAGGC TTTGACTGCC CTTGAGGTCA CACGAAGTGG TCTGACTGTG GA -             #CCAGCTAC   4320                                                                  - - ATGCAATCCT GAGCACATGG CTGATCTTGC CCAAGGAGAC TAAGAGCTGG GA -             #AGAAGTGC   4380                                                                  - - TGGCTGCCAG TCACAGTGGA AACCCTTTCC CCTTGTGTCC ATTTGCCTAC CT -             #TGTCCAGA   4440                                                                  - - GTCTACGCAG TTTACTAGGG GAGGGCCCAG TGGAGCGCCC TGGTGCCCGT CT -             #CTGCCTCT   4500                                                                  - - CTGATGGGCC CCTGAGGACA ACAATTAAAC GTCGCTATGG GAAAAGGCTG GG -             #GCTAGAGA   4560                                                                  - - AGACTGCGCA TGTCCTCATT GCAGCTCACC TCTGGAAGAC GTGTGATCCT GA -             #TGCCTCGG   4620                                                                  - - GCACCTTCCG AAGTTGCCCT CCTGAGGCTC TGAAAGATTT ACCTTACCAC CT -             #GCTCCAGA   4680                                                                  - - GCGGGAACCA TGGTCTCCTT GCCGAGTTTC TTACCAATCT CCATGTGGTT GC -             #TGCATATC   4740                                                                  - - TGGAAGTGGG TCTAGTCCCC GACCTCTTGG AGGCTCATGT GCTCTATGCT TC -             #TTCAAAGC   4800                                                                  - - CTGAAGCCAA CCAGAAGCTC CCAGCGGCAG ATGTTGCTGT TTTCCATACC TT -             #CCTGAGAC   4860                                                                  - - AACAGGCTTC ACTCCTTACC CAGTATCCTT TGCTCCTGCT CCAGCAGGCA GC -             #TAGCCAGC   4920                                                                  - - CTGAAGAGTC ACCTGTTTGC TGCCAGGCCC CCCTGCTCAC CCAGCGATGG CA -             #CGACCAGT   4980                                                                  - - TCACACTGAA ATGGATTAAT AAACCCCAGA CCCTGAAGGG TCAGCAAAGC TT -             #GTCTCTGA   5040                                                                  - - CAATGTCCTC ATCCCCAACT GCTGTGGCCT TCTCCCCGAA TGGGCAAAGA GC -             #AGCTGTGG   5100                                                                  - - GGACCGCCAG TGGGACAATT TACCTGTTGA ACTTGAAAAC CTGGCAGGAG GA -             #GAAGGCTG   5160                                                                  - - TGGTGAGTGG CTGTGACGGG ATTTCCTCTT TTGCATTCCT TTCGGACACT GC -             #CCTTTTCC   5220                                                                  - - TTACTACCTT CGACGGGCAC CTAGAGCTTT GGGACCTGCA ACATGGTTGT TG -             #GGTGTTTC   5280                                                                  - - AGACCAAGGC CCACCAGTAC CAAATCACTG GCTGCTGCCT GAGCCCAGAC CG -             #CCGCCTGC   5340                                                                  - - TGGCCACTGT GTGTTTGGGA GGATACCTAA AGCTGTGGGA CACAGTCCGA GG -             #ACAGCTGG   5400                                                                  - - CTTTTCAGTA CACCCATCCA AAGTCTCTCA ACTGCGTTGC CTTCCACCCA GA -             #GGGGCAGG   5460                                                                  - - TGGTAGCCAC AGGCAGCTGG GCTGGCAGCA TTACCTTCTT CCAGGCAGAT GG -             #ACTCAAAG   5520                                                                  - - TCACCAAGGA ACTAGGGGCC CCCGGACCCT CTGTCTGTAG TTTGGCATTC AA -             #CAAACCTG   5580                                                                  - - GGAAGATTGT GGCTGTGGGC CGGATAGATG GGACAGTGGA GCTGTGGGCC TG -             #GCAAGAGG   5640                                                                  - - GTGCCCGGCT GGCGGCCTTC CCTGCACAGT GTGGCTGTGT CTCTGCTGTT CT -             #TTTCTTGC   5700                                                                  - - ATGCTGGAGA CCGGTTCCTG ACTGCTGGAG AAGATGGCAA GGCTCAGTTA TG -             #GTCAGGAT   5760                                                                  - - TTCTTGGCCG GCCCAGGGGT TGCCTGGGCT CTCTTCCTCT TTCTCCTGCA CT -             #CTCGGTGG   5820                                                                  - - CTCTCAACCC AGACGGTGAC CAGGTGGCTG TTGGGTACCG AGAAGATGGC AT -             #TAACATCT   5880                                                                  - - ACAAGATTTC TTCAGGTTCC CAGGGGCCTC AGCATCAAGA GCTAAATGTG GC -             #GGTGTCTG   5940                                                                  - - CACTGGTGTG GCTGAGCCCT AGTGTTTTGG TGAGTGGTGC AGAAGATGGA TC -             #CCTGCATG   6000                                                                  - - GTTGGATGTT CAAGGGAGAC TCCCTTCATT CCCTGTGGCT GTTGTCGAGA TA -             #CCAGAAGC   6060                                                                  - - CTGTGCTGGG ACTGGCTGCC TCCCGGGAAC TCATGGCTGC TGCCTCAGAG GA -             #CTTCACTG   6120                                                                  - - TGAGACTGTG GCCCAGACAG CTGCTGACAC AGCCACATGT GCATGCGGTA GA -             #GTTGCCCT   6180                                                                  - - GTTGTGCTGA ACTCCGGGGA CACGAGGGGC CAGTGTGCTG CTGTAGCTTC AG -             #CCCTGATG   6240                                                                  - - GAGGCATCTT GGCCACAGCT GGCAGGGATC GGAATCTCCT TTGCTGGGAC AT -             #GAAGATAG   6300                                                                  - - CCCAAGCCCC TCTCCTGATT CACACTTTCT CGTCCTGTCA TCGTGACTGG AT -             #CACTGGCT   6360                                                                  - - GTGCGTGGAC CAAAGACAAC ATCCTGGTCT CCTGCTCGAG TGATGGCTCT GT -             #GGGACTCT   6420                                                                  - - GGAACCCAGA GGCAGGGCAG CAACTTGGCC AGTTCTCAGG CCACCAGAGT GC -             #CGTGAGCG   6480                                                                  - - CCGTGGTTGC TGTGGAGGAA CACATTGTAT CTGTGAGCCG AGATGGGACC TT -             #GAAAGTGT   6540                                                                  - - GGGACCATCA GGGTGTGGAG CTGACCAGCA TCCCTGCCCA TTCCGGACCC AT -             #CAGCCAGT   6600                                                                  - - GTGCAGCTGC TCTGGAGCCC CGCCCAGGGG GACAGCCTGG ATCAGAGCTT CT -             #GGTGGTGA   6660                                                                  - - CTGTTGGACT AGATGGGGCC ACAAAGTTGT GGCATCCCCT GTTGGTGTGC CA -             #AATACGTA   6720                                                                  - - CTCTCCAGGG ACACAGTGGC CCAGTCACAG CAGCTGCTGC TTCAGAGGCC TC -             #AGGCCTCC   6780                                                                  - - TGCTGACCTC AGATGATAGC TCTGTACAGC TCTGGCAGAT ACCAAAGGAA GC -             #AGATGATT   6840                                                                  - - CATACAAACC TAGGAGTTCT GTGGCCATCA CTGCTGTGGC ATGGGCACCG GA -             #TGGTTCTA   6900                                                                  - - TGGTGGTGTC CGGAAATGAA GCCGGGGAAC TGACACTGTG GCAGCAAGCC AA -             #GGCTGTGG   6960                                                                  - - CTACCGCACA GGCTCCAGGC CGCGTCAGTC ACCTGATCTG GTACTCGGCA AA -             #TTCATTCT   7020                                                                  - - TCGTTCTCAG TGCTAATGAA AACGTCAGCG AGTGGCAAGT GGGACTGAGG AA -             #AGGTTCAA   7080                                                                  - - CGTCCACCAG TTCCAGTCTT CATCTGAAGA GAGTTCTGCA GGAGGACTGG GG -             #AGTCTTGA   7140                                                                  - - CAGGTCTGGG TCTGGCCCCT GATGGCCAGT CTCTCATCTT GATGAAAGAG GA -             #TGTGGAAT   7200                                                                  - - TACTAGAGAT GAAGCCTGGG TCTATTCCAT CTTCTATCTG CAGGAGGTAT GG -             #AGTACATT   7260                                                                  - - CTTCAATACT GTGCACCAGC AAGGAGTACG GCTTGTTCTA CCTGCAGCAG GG -             #GGACTCCG   7320                                                                  - - GATTACTTTC TATATTGGAG CAAAAGGAGT CAGGGGAGTT TGAAGAGATC CT -             #GGACTTCA   7380                                                                  - - ATCTGAACTT AAATAATCCT AATGGGTCCC CAGTATCAAT CACTCAGGCC AA -             #ACCTGAGT   7440                                                                  - - CTGAATCATC CCTTTTGTGC GCCACCTCTG ATGGGATGCT GTGGAACTTA TC -             #TGAATGTA   7500                                                                  - - CCTCAGAGGG AGAATGGATC GTAGATAACA TTTGGCAGAA AAAAGCAAAA AA -             #ACCTAAAA   7560                                                                  - - CTCAGACTCT GGAGACAGAG TTGTCCCCGC ACTCAGAGTT GGATTTTTCC AT -             #TGATTGCT   7620                                                                  - - GGATTGATCC CACAAATTTA AAGGCACAGC AGTGTAAAAA GATCCACTTG GG -             #CTCTGTCA   7680                                                                  - - CAGCCCTCCA TGTGCTTCCG GGATTGCTGG TGACAGCTTC GAAGGACAGA GA -             #TGTTAAGC   7740                                                                  - - TGTGGGAGAG ACCCAGTATG CAGCTGCTGG GCTTGTTCCG ATGTGAAGGG CC -             #AGTGAGCT   7800                                                                  - - GTCTGGAACC TTGGATGGAG CCCAGCTCTC CCCTGCAGCT TGCTGTGGGA GA -             #CACACAAG   7860                                                                  - - GAAACTTGTA TTTTCTATCT TGGGAA          - #                  - #                 7886                                                                      - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:3:                                      - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 2627 amino - #acids                                                (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (C) STRANDEDNESS: unknown                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown                                                 - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein                                            - -     (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:3:                                - - Met Glu Lys Leu His Gly His Val Ser Ala Hi - #s Pro Asp Ile Leu Ser       1               5   - #                10  - #                15                - - Leu Glu Asn Arg Cys Leu Ala Met Leu Pro As - #p Leu Gln Pro Leu Glu                   20      - #            25      - #            30                    - - Lys Leu His Gln His Val Ser Thr His Ser As - #p Ile Leu Ser Leu Lys               35          - #        40          - #        45                        - - Asn Gln Cys Leu Ala Thr Leu Pro Asp Leu Ly - #s Thr Met Glu Lys Pro           50              - #    55              - #    60                            - - His Gly Tyr Val Ser Ala His Pro Asp Ile Le - #u Ser Leu Glu Asn Gln       65                  - #70                  - #75                  - #80         - - Cys Leu Ala Thr Leu Ser Asp Leu Lys Thr Me - #t Glu Lys Pro His Gly                       85  - #                90  - #                95                - - His Val Ser Ala His Pro Asp Ile Leu Ser Le - #u Glu Asn Arg Cys Leu                   100      - #           105      - #           110                   - - Ala Thr Leu Pro Ser Leu Lys Ser Thr Val Se - #r Ala Ser Pro Leu Phe               115          - #       120          - #       125                       - - Gln Ser Leu Gln Ile Ser His Met Thr Gln Al - #a Asp Leu Tyr Arg Val           130              - #   135              - #   140                           - - Asn Asn Ser Asn Cys Leu Leu Ser Glu Pro Pr - #o Ser Trp Arg Ala Gln       145                 1 - #50                 1 - #55                 1 -       #60                                                                               - - His Phe Ser Lys Gly Leu Asp Leu Ser Thr Cy - #s Pro Ile Ala Leu         Lys                                                                                              165  - #               170  - #               175              - - Ser Ile Ser Ala Thr Glu Thr Ala Gln Glu Al - #a Thr Leu Gly Arg Trp                   180      - #           185      - #           190                   - - Phe Asp Ser Glu Glu Lys Lys Gly Ala Glu Th - #r Gln Met Pro Ser Tyr               195          - #       200          - #       205                       - - Ser Leu Ser Leu Gly Glu Glu Glu Glu Val Gl - #u Asp Leu Ala Val Lys           210              - #   215              - #   220                           - - Leu Thr Ser Gly Asp Ser Glu Ser His Pro Gl - #u Pro Thr Asp His Val       225                 2 - #30                 2 - #35                 2 -       #40                                                                               - - Leu Gln Glu Lys Lys Met Ala Leu Leu Ser Le - #u Leu Cys Ser Thr         Leu                                                                                              245  - #               250  - #               255              - - Val Ser Glu Val Asn Met Asn Asn Thr Ser As - #p Pro Thr Leu Ala Ala                   260      - #           265      - #           270                   - - Ile Phe Glu Ile Cys Arg Glu Leu Ala Leu Le - #u Glu Pro Glu Phe Ile               275          - #       280          - #       285                       - - Leu Lys Ala Ser Leu Tyr Ala Arg Gln Gln Le - #u Asn Val Arg Asn Val           290              - #   295              - #   300                           - - Ala Asn Asn Ile Leu Ala Ile Ala Ala Phe Le - #u Pro Ala Cys Arg Pro       305                 3 - #10                 3 - #15                 3 -       #20                                                                               - - His Leu Arg Arg Tyr Phe Cys Ala Ile Val Gl - #n Leu Pro Ser Asp         Trp                                                                                              325  - #               330  - #               335              - - Ile Gln Val Ala Glu Leu Tyr Gln Ser Leu Al - #a Glu Gly Asp Lys Asn                   340      - #           345      - #           350                   - - Lys Leu Val Pro Leu Pro Ala Cys Leu Arg Th - #r Ala Met Thr Asp Lys               355          - #       360          - #       365                       - - Phe Ala Gln Phe Asp Glu Tyr Gln Leu Ala Ly - #s Tyr Asn Pro Arg Lys           370              - #   375              - #   380                           - - His Arg Ala Lys Arg His Pro Arg Arg Pro Pr - #o Arg Ser Pro Gly Met       385                 3 - #90                 3 - #95                 4 -       #00                                                                               - - Glu Pro Pro Phe Ser His Arg Cys Phe Pro Ar - #g Tyr Ile Gly Phe         Leu                                                                                              405  - #               410  - #               415              - - Arg Glu Glu Gln Arg Lys Phe Glu Lys Ala Gl - #y Asp Thr Val Ser Glu                   420      - #           425      - #           430                   - - Lys Lys Asn Pro Pro Arg Phe Thr Leu Lys Ly - #s Leu Val Gln Arg Leu               435          - #       440          - #       445                       - - His Ile His Lys Pro Ala Gln His Val Gln Al - #a Leu Leu Gly Tyr Arg           450              - #   455              - #   460                           - - Tyr Pro Ser Asn Leu Gln Leu Phe Ser Arg Se - #r Arg Leu Pro Gly Pro       465                 4 - #70                 4 - #75                 4 -       #80                                                                               - - Trp Asp Ser Ser Arg Ala Gly Lys Arg Met Ly - #s Leu Ser Arg Pro         Glu                                                                                              485  - #               490  - #               495              - - Thr Trp Glu Arg Glu Leu Ser Leu Arg Gly As - #n Lys Ala Ser Val Trp                   500      - #           505      - #           510                   - - Glu Glu Leu Ile Glu Asn Gly Lys Leu Pro Ph - #e Met Ala Met Leu Arg               515          - #       520          - #       525                       - - Asn Leu Cys Asn Leu Leu Arg Val Gly Ile Se - #r Ser Arg His His Glu           530              - #   535              - #   540                           - - Leu Ile Leu Gln Arg Leu Gln His Gly Lys Se - #r Val Ile His Ser Arg       545                 5 - #50                 5 - #55                 5 -       #60                                                                               - - Gln Phe Pro Phe Arg Phe Leu Asn Ala His As - #p Ala Ile Asp Ala         Leu                                                                                              565  - #               570  - #               575              - - Glu Ala Gln Leu Arg Asn Gln Ala Leu Pro Ph - #e Pro Ser Asn Ile Thr                   580      - #           585      - #           590                   - - Leu Met Arg Arg Ile Leu Thr Arg Asn Glu Ly - #s Asn Arg Pro Arg Arg               595          - #       600          - #       605                       - - Arg Phe Leu Cys His Leu Ser Arg Gln Gln Le - #u Arg Met Ala Met Arg           610              - #   615              - #   620                           - - Ile Pro Val Leu Tyr Glu Gln Leu Lys Arg Gl - #u Lys Leu Arg Val His       625                 6 - #30                 6 - #35                 6 -       #40                                                                               - - Lys Ala Arg Gln Trp Lys Tyr Asp Gly Glu Me - #t Leu Asn Arg Tyr         Arg                                                                                              645  - #               650  - #               655              - - Gln Ala Leu Glu Thr Ala Val Asn Leu Ser Va - #l Lys His Ser Leu Pro                   660      - #           665      - #           670                   - - Leu Leu Pro Gly Arg Thr Val Leu Val Tyr Le - #u Thr Asp Ala Asn Ala               675          - #       680          - #       685                       - - Asp Arg Leu Cys Pro Lys Ser Asn Pro Gln Gl - #y Pro Pro Leu Asn Tyr           690              - #   695              - #   700                           - - Ala Leu Leu Leu Ile Gly Met Met Ile Thr Ar - #g Ala Glu Gln Val Asp       705                 7 - #10                 7 - #15                 7 -       #20                                                                               - - Val Val Leu Cys Gly Gly Asp Thr Leu Lys Th - #r Ala Val Leu Lys         Ala                                                                                              725  - #               730  - #               735              - - Glu Glu Gly Ile Leu Lys Thr Ala Ile Lys Le - #u Gln Ala Gln Val Gln                   740      - #           745      - #           750                   - - Glu Phe Asp Glu Asn Asp Gly Trp Ser Leu As - #n Thr Phe Gly Lys Tyr               755          - #       760          - #       765                       - - Leu Leu Ser Leu Ala Gly Gln Arg Val Pro Va - #l Asp Arg Val Ile Leu           770              - #   775              - #   780                           - - Leu Gly Gln Ser Met Asp Asp Gly Met Ile As - #n Val Ala Lys Gln Leu       785                 7 - #90                 7 - #95                 8 -       #00                                                                               - - Tyr Trp Gln Arg Val Asn Ser Lys Cys Leu Ph - #e Val Gly Ile Leu         Leu                                                                                              805  - #               810  - #               815              - - Arg Arg Val Gln Tyr Leu Ser Thr Asp Leu As - #n Pro Asn Asp Val Thr                   820      - #           825      - #           830                   - - Leu Ser Gly Cys Thr Asp Ala Ile Leu Lys Ph - #e Ile Ala Glu His Gly               835          - #       840          - #       845                       - - Ala Ser His Leu Leu Glu His Val Gly Gln Me - #t Asp Lys Ile Phe Lys           850              - #   855              - #   860                           - - Ile Pro Pro Pro Pro Gly Lys Thr Gly Val Gl - #n Ser Leu Arg Pro Leu       865                 8 - #70                 8 - #75                 8 -       #80                                                                               - - Glu Glu Asp Thr Pro Ser Pro Leu Ala Pro Va - #l Ser Gln Gln Gly         Trp                                                                                              885  - #               890  - #               895              - - Arg Ser Ile Arg Leu Phe Ile Ser Ser Thr Ph - #e Arg Asp Met His Gly                   900      - #           905      - #           910                   - - Glu Arg Asp Leu Leu Leu Arg Ser Val Leu Pr - #o Ala Leu Gln Ala Arg               915          - #       920          - #       925                       - - Ala Ala Pro His Arg Ile Ser Leu His Gly Il - #e Asp Leu Arg Trp Gly           930              - #   935              - #   940                           - - Val Thr Glu Glu Glu Thr Arg Arg Asn Arg Gl - #n Leu Glu Val Cys Leu       945                 9 - #50                 9 - #55                 9 -       #60                                                                               - - Gly Glu Val Glu Asn Ala Gln Leu Phe Val Gl - #y Ile Leu Gly Ser         Arg                                                                                              965  - #               970  - #               975              - - Tyr Gly Tyr Ile Pro Pro Ser Tyr Asn Leu Pr - #o Asp His Pro His Phe                   980      - #           985      - #           990                   - - His Trp Ala Gln Gln Tyr Pro Ser Gly Arg Se - #r Val Thr Glu Met Glu               995          - #       1000          - #      1005                      - - Val Met Gln Phe Leu Asn Arg Asn Gln Arg Le - #u Gln Pro Ser Ala Gln           1010             - #   1015              - #  1020                          - - Ala Leu Ile Tyr Phe Arg Asp Ser Ser Phe Le - #u Ser Ser Val Pro Asp       1025                1030 - #                1035 - #               1040         - - Ala Trp Lys Ser Asp Phe Val Ser Glu Ser Gl - #u Glu Ala Ala Xaa Arg                       1045 - #               1050  - #              1055              - - Ile Ser Glu Leu Lys Ser Tyr Leu Ser Arg Gl - #n Lys Gly Ile Thr Cys                   1060     - #           1065      - #          1070                  - - Arg Arg Tyr Pro Cys Glu Trp Gly Gly Val Al - #a Ala Gly Arg Pro Tyr               1075         - #       1080          - #      1085                      - - Val Gly Gly Leu Glu Glu Phe Gly Gln Leu Va - #l Leu Gln Asp Val Trp           1090             - #   1095              - #  1100                          - - Asn Met Ile Gln Lys Leu Tyr Leu Gln Pro Gl - #y Ala Leu Leu Glu Gln       1105                1110 - #                1115 - #               1120         - - Pro Val Ser Ile Pro Asp Asp Asp Leu Val Gl - #n Ala Thr Phe Gln Gln                       1125 - #               1130  - #              1135              - - Leu Gln Lys Pro Pro Ser Pro Ala Arg Pro Ar - #g Leu Leu Gln Asp Thr                   1140     - #           1145      - #          1150                  - - Val Gln Xaa Leu Met Leu Pro His Gly Arg Le - #u Ser Leu Val Thr Gly               1155         - #       1160          - #      1165                      - - Gln Ser Gly Gln Gly Lys Thr Ala Phe Leu Al - #a Ser Leu Val Ser Ala           1170             - #   1175              - #  1180                          - - Leu Gln Ala Pro Asp Gly Ala Lys Val Ala Xa - #a Leu Val Phe Phe His       1185                1190 - #                1195 - #               1200         - - Phe Ser Gly Ala Arg Pro Asp Gln Gly Leu Al - #a Leu Thr Leu Leu Arg                       1205 - #               1210  - #              1215              - - Arg Leu Cys Thr Tyr Leu Arg Gly Gln Leu Ly - #s Glu Pro Gly Ala Leu                   1220     - #           1225      - #          1230                  - - Pro Ser Thr Tyr Arg Ser Leu Val Trp Glu Le - #u Gln Gln Arg Leu Leu               1235         - #       1240          - #      1245                      - - Pro Lys Ser Ala Glu Ser Leu His Pro Gly Gl - #n Thr Gln Val Leu Ile           1250             - #   1255              - #  1260                          - - Ile Asp Gly Ala Asp Arg Leu Val Asp Gln As - #n Gly Gln Leu Ile Ser       1265                1270 - #                1275 - #               1280         - - Asp Trp Ile Pro Lys Lys Leu Pro Arg Cys Va - #l His Leu Val Leu Ser                       1285 - #               1290  - #              1295              - - Val Ser Ser Asp Ala Gly Leu Gly Glu Thr Le - #u Glu Gln Ser Gln Gly                   1300     - #           1305      - #          1310                  - - Ala His Val Leu Ala Leu Gly Pro Leu Glu Al - #a Ser Ala Arg Ala Arg               1315         - #       1320          - #      1325                      - - Leu Val Arg Glu Glu Leu Ala Leu Tyr Gly Ly - #s Arg Leu Glu Glu Ser           1330             - #   1335              - #  1340                          - - Pro Phe Asn Asn Gln Met Arg Leu Leu Leu Va - #l Lys Arg Glu Ser Gly       1345                1350 - #                1355 - #               1360         - - Arg Pro Leu Tyr Leu Arg Leu Val Thr Asp Hi - #s Leu Arg Leu Phe Thr                       1365 - #               1370  - #              1375              - - Leu Tyr Glu Gln Val Ser Glu Arg Leu Arg Th - #r Leu Pro Ala Thr Val                   1380     - #           1385      - #          1390                  - - Pro Leu Leu Leu Gln His Ile Leu Ser Thr Le - #u Glu Lys Glu His Gly               1395         - #       1400          - #      1405                      - - Pro Asp Val Leu Pro Gln Ala Leu Thr Ala Le - #u Glu Val Thr Arg Ser           1410             - #   1415              - #  1420                          - - Gly Leu Thr Val Asp Gln Leu His Gly Val Le - #u Ser Val Trp Arg Thr       1425                1430 - #                1435 - #               1440         - - Leu Pro Lys Gly Thr Lys Ser Trp Glu Glu Al - #a Val Ala Ala Gly Asn                       1445 - #               1450  - #              1455              - - Ser Gly Asp Pro Tyr Pro Met Gly Pro Phe Al - #a Cys Leu Val Gln Ser                   1460     - #           1465      - #          1470                  - - Leu Arg Ser Leu Leu Gly Glu Gly Pro Leu Gl - #u Arg Pro Gly Ala Arg               1475         - #       1480          - #      1485                      - - Leu Cys Leu Pro Asp Gly Pro Leu Arg Thr Al - #a Ala Lys Arg Cys Tyr           1490             - #   1495              - #  1500                          - - Gly Lys Arg Pro Gly Leu Glu Asp Thr Ala Hi - #s Ile Leu Ile Ala Ala       1505                1510 - #                1515 - #               1520         - - Gln Leu Trp Lys Thr Cys Asp Ala Asp Ala Se - #r Gly Thr Phe Arg Ser                       1525 - #               1530  - #              1535              - - Cys Pro Pro Glu Ala Leu Gly Asp Leu Pro Ty - #r His Leu Leu Gln Ser                   1540     - #           1545      - #          1550                  - - Gly Asn Arg Gly Leu Leu Ser Lys Phe Leu Th - #r Asn Leu His Val Val               1555         - #       1560          - #      1565                      - - Ala Ala His Leu Glu Leu Gly Leu Val Ser Ar - #g Leu Leu Glu Ala His           1570             - #   1575              - #  1580                          - - Ala Leu Tyr Ala Ser Ser Val Pro Lys Glu Gl - #u Gln Lys Leu Pro Glu       1585                1590 - #                1595 - #               1600         - - Ala Asp Val Ala Val Phe Arg Thr Phe Leu Ar - #g Gln Gln Ala Ser Ile                       1605 - #               1610  - #              1615              - - Leu Ser Gln Tyr Pro Arg Leu Leu Pro Gln Gl - #n Ala Ala Asn Gln Pro                   1620     - #           1625      - #          1630                  - - Leu Asp Ser Pro Leu Cys His Gln Ala Ser Le - #u Leu Ser Arg Arg Trp               1635         - #       1640          - #      1645                      - - His Leu Gln His Thr Leu Arg Trp Leu Asn Ly - #s Pro Arg Thr Met Lys           1650             - #   1655              - #  1660                          - - Asn Gln Gln Ser Ser Ser Leu Ser Leu Ala Va - #l Ser Ser Ser Pro Thr       1665                1670 - #                1675 - #               1680         - - Ala Val Ala Phe Ser Thr Asn Gly Gln Arg Al - #a Ala Val Gly Thr Ala                       1685 - #               1690  - #              1695              - - Asn Gly Thr Val Tyr Leu Leu Asp Leu Arg Th - #r Trp Gln Glu Glu Lys                   1700     - #           1705      - #          1710                  - - Ser Val Val Ser Gly Cys Asp Gly Ile Ser Al - #a Cys Leu Phe Leu Ser               1715         - #       1720          - #      1725                      - - Asp Asp Thr Leu Phe Leu Thr Ala Phe Asp Gl - #y Leu Leu Glu Leu Trp           1730             - #   1735              - #  1740                          - - Asp Leu Gln His Gly Cys Arg Val Leu Gln Th - #r Lys Ala His Gln Tyr       1745                1750 - #                1755 - #               1760         - - Gln Ile Thr Gly Cys Cys Leu Ser Pro Asp Cy - #s Arg Leu Leu Ala Thr                       1765 - #               1770  - #              1775              - - Val Cys Leu Gly Gly Cys Leu Lys Leu Trp As - #p Thr Val Arg Gly Gln                   1780     - #           1785      - #          1790                  - - Leu Ala Phe Gln His Thr Tyr Pro Lys Ser Le - #u Asn Cys Val Ala Phe               1795         - #       1800          - #      1805                      - - His Pro Glu Gly Gln Val Ile Ala Thr Gly Se - #r Trp Ala Gly Ser Ile           1810             - #   1815              - #  1820                          - - Ser Phe Phe Gln Val Asp Gly Leu Lys Val Th - #r Lys Asp Leu Gly Ala       1825                1830 - #                1835 - #               1840         - - Pro Gly Ala Ser Ile Arg Thr Leu Ala Phe As - #n Val Pro Gly Gly Val                       1845 - #               1850  - #              1855              - - Val Ala Val Gly Arg Leu Asp Ser Met Val Gl - #u Leu Trp Ala Trp Arg                   1860     - #           1865      - #          1870                  - - Glu Gly Ala Arg Leu Ala Ala Phe Pro Ala Hi - #s His Gly Phe Val Ala               1875         - #       1880          - #      1885                      - - Ala Ala Leu Phe Leu His Ala Gly Cys Gln Le - #u Leu Thr Ala Gly Glu           1890             - #   1895              - #  1900                          - - Asp Gly Lys Val Gln Val Trp Ser Gly Ser Le - #u Gly Arg Pro Arg Gly       1905                1910 - #                1915 - #               1920         - - His Leu Gly Ser Leu Ser Leu Ser Pro Ala Le - #u Ser Val Ala Leu Ser                       1925 - #               1930  - #              1935              - - Pro Asp Gly Asp Arg Val Ala Val Gly Tyr Ar - #g Ala Asp Gly Ile Arg                   1940     - #           1945      - #          1950                  - - Ile Tyr Lys Ile Ser Ser Gly Ser Gln Gly Al - #a Gln Gly Gln Ala Leu               1955         - #       1960          - #      1965                      - - Asp Val Ala Val Ser Ala Leu Ala Trp Leu Se - #r Pro Lys Val Leu Val           1970             - #   1975              - #  1980                          - - Ser Gly Ala Glu Asp Gly Ser Leu Gln Gly Tr - #p Ala Leu Lys Glu Cys       1985                1990 - #                1995 - #               2000         - - Ser Leu Gln Ser Leu Trp Leu Leu Ser Arg Ph - #e Gln Lys Pro Val Leu                       2005 - #               2010  - #              2015              - - Gly Leu Ala Thr Ser Gln Glu Leu Leu Ala Se - #r Ala Ser Glu Asp Phe                   2020     - #           2025      - #          2030                  - - Thr Val Gln Leu Trp Pro Arg Gln Leu Leu Th - #r Arg Pro His Lys Ala               2035         - #       2040          - #      2045                      - - Glu Asp Phe Pro Cys Gly Thr Glu Leu Arg Gl - #y His Glu Gly Pro Val           2050             - #   2055              - #  2060                          - - Ser Cys Cys Ser Phe Ser Thr Asp Gly Gly Se - #r Leu Ala Thr Gly Gly       2065                2070 - #                2075 - #               2080         - - Arg Asp Arg Ser Leu Leu Cys Trp Asp Val Ar - #g Thr Pro Lys Thr Pro                       2085 - #               2090  - #              2095              - - Val Leu Ile His Ser Phe Pro Ala Cys His Ar - #g Asp Trp Val Thr Gly                   2100     - #           2105      - #          2110                  - - Cys Ala Trp Thr Lys Asp Asn Leu Leu Ile Se - #r Cys Ser Ser Asp Gly               2115         - #       2120          - #      2125                      - - Ser Val Gly Leu Trp Asp Pro Glu Ser Gly Gl - #n Arg Leu Gly Gln Phe           2130             - #   2135              - #  2140                          - - Leu Gly His Gln Ser Ala Val Ser Ala Val Al - #a Ala Val Glu Glu His       2145                2150 - #                2155 - #               2160         - - Val Val Ser Val Ser Arg Asp Gly Thr Leu Ly - #s Val Trp Asp His Gln                       2165 - #               2170  - #              2175              - - Gly Val Glu Leu Thr Ser Ile Pro Ala His Se - #r Gly Pro Ile Ser His                   2180     - #           2185      - #          2190                  - - Cys Ala Ala Ala Met Glu Pro Arg Ala Ala Gl - #y Gln Pro Gly Ser Glu               2195         - #       2200          - #      2205                      - - Leu Leu Val Val Thr Val Gly Leu Asp Gly Al - #a Thr Arg Leu Trp His           2210             - #   2215              - #  2220                          - - Pro Leu Leu Val Cys Gln Thr His Thr Leu Le - #u Gly His Ser Gly Pro       2225                2230 - #                2235 - #               2240         - - Val Arg Ala Ala Ala Val Ser Glu Thr Ser Gl - #y Leu Met Leu Thr Ala                       2245 - #               2250  - #              2255              - - Ser Glu Asp Gly Ser Val Arg Leu Trp Gln Va - #l Pro Lys Glu Ala Asp                   2260     - #           2265      - #          2270                  - - Asp Thr Cys Ile Pro Arg Ser Ser Ala Ala Va - #l Thr Ala Val Ala Trp               2275         - #       2280          - #      2285                      - - Ala Pro Asp Gly Ser Met Ala Val Ser Gly As - #n Gln Ala Gly Glu Leu           2290             - #   2295              - #  2300                          - - Ile Leu Trp Gln Glu Ala Lys Ala Val Ala Th - #r Ala Gln Ala Pro Gly       2305                2310 - #                2315 - #               2320         - - His Ile Gly Ala Leu Ile Trp Ser Ser Ala Hi - #s Thr Phe Phe Val Leu                       2325 - #               2330  - #              2335              - - Ser Ala Asp Glu Lys Ile Ser Glu Trp Gln Va - #l Lys Leu Arg Lys Gly                   2340     - #           2345      - #          2350                  - - Ser Ala Pro Gly Asn Leu Ser Leu His Leu As - #n Arg Ile Leu Gln Glu               2355         - #       2360          - #      2365                      - - Asp Leu Gly Val Leu Thr Ser Leu Asp Trp Al - #a Pro Asp Gly His Phe           2370             - #   2375              - #  2380                          - - Leu Ile Leu Ala Lys Ala Asp Leu Lys Leu Le - #u Cys Met Lys Pro Gly       2385                2390 - #                2395 - #               2400         - - Asp Ala Pro Ser Glu Ile Trp Ser Ser Tyr Th - #r Glu Asn Pro Met Ile                       2405 - #               2410  - #              2415              - - Leu Ser Thr His Lys Glu Tyr Gly Ile Phe Va - #l Leu Gln Pro Lys Asp                   2420     - #           2425      - #          2430                  - - Pro Gly Val Leu Ser Phe Leu Arg Gln Lys Gl - #u Ser Gly Glu Phe Glu               2435         - #       2440          - #      2445                      - - Glu Arg Leu Asn Phe Asp Ile Asn Leu Glu As - #n Pro Ser Arg Thr Leu           2450             - #   2455              - #  2460                          - - Ile Ser Ile Thr Gln Ala Lys Pro Glu Ser Gl - #u Ser Ser Phe Leu Cys       2465                2470 - #                2475 - #               2480         - - Ala Ser Ser Asp Gly Ile Leu Trp Asn Leu Al - #a Lys Cys Ser Pro Glu                       2485 - #               2490  - #              2495              - - Gly Glu Trp Thr Thr Gly Asn Met Trp Gln Ly - #s Lys Ala Asn Thr Pro                   2500     - #           2505      - #          2510                  - - Glu Thr Gln Thr Pro Gly Thr Asp Pro Ser Th - #r Cys Arg Glu Ser Asp               2515         - #       2520          - #      2525                      - - Ala Ser Met Asp Ser Asp Ala Ser Met Asp Se - #r Glu Pro Thr Pro His           2530             - #   2535              - #  2540                          - - Leu Lys Thr Arg Gln Arg Arg Lys Ile His Se - #r Gly Ser Val Thr Ala       2545                2550 - #                2555 - #               2560         - - Leu His Val Leu Pro Glu Leu Leu Val Thr Al - #a Ser Lys Asp Arg Asp                       2565 - #               2570  - #              2575              - - Val Lys Leu Trp Glu Arg Pro Ser Met Gln Le - #u Leu Gly Leu Phe Arg                   2580     - #           2585      - #          2590                  - - Cys Glu Gly Ser Val Ser Cys Leu Glu Pro Tr - #p Leu Gly Ala Asn Ser               2595         - #       2600          - #      2605                      - - Thr Leu Gln Leu Ala Val Gly Asp Val Gln Gl - #y Asn Val Tyr Phe Leu           2610             - #   2615              - #  2620                          - - Asn Trp Glu                                                               2625                                                                            - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:4:                                      - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 2629 amino - #acids                                                (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (C) STRANDEDNESS: unknown                                                      (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown                                                 - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein                                            - -     (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:4:                                - - Met Glu Lys Leu Cys Gly His Val Pro Gly Hi - #s Ser Asp Ile Leu Ser       1               5   - #                10  - #                15                - - Leu Lys Asn Arg Cys Leu Thr Met Leu Pro As - #p Leu Gln Pro Leu Glu                   20      - #            25      - #            30                    - - Lys Ile His Gly His Arg Ser Val His Ser As - #p Ile Leu Ser Leu Glu               35          - #        40          - #        45                        - - Asn Gln Cys Leu Thr Met Leu Ser Asp Leu Gl - #n Pro Thr Glu Arg Ile           50              - #    55              - #    60                            - - Asp Gly His Ile Ser Val His Pro Asp Ile Le - #u Ser Leu Glu Asn Arg       65                  - #70                  - #75                  - #80         - - Cys Leu Thr Met Leu Pro Asp Leu Gln Pro Le - #u Glu Lys Leu Cys Gly                       85  - #                90  - #                95                - - His Met Ser Ser His Pro Asp Val Leu Ser Le - #u Glu Asn Gln Cys Leu                   100      - #           105      - #           110                   - - Ala Thr Leu Pro Thr Val Lys Ser Thr Ala Le - #u Thr Ser Pro Leu Leu               115          - #       120          - #       125                       - - Gln Gly Leu His Ile Ser His Thr Ala Gln Al - #a Asp Leu His Ser Leu           130              - #   135              - #   140                           - - Lys Thr Ser Asn Cys Leu Leu Pro Glu Leu Pr - #o Thr Lys Lys Thr Pro       145                 1 - #50                 1 - #55                 1 -       #60                                                                               - - Cys Phe Ser Glu Glu Leu Asp Leu Pro Pro Gl - #y Pro Arg Ala Leu         Lys                                                                                              165  - #               170  - #               175              - - Ser Met Ser Ala Thr Ala Gln Val Gln Glu Va - #l Ala Leu Gly Gln Trp                   180      - #           185      - #           190                   - - Cys Val Ser Lys Glu Lys Glu Phe Gln Glu Gl - #u Glu Ser Thr Glu Val               195          - #       200          - #       205                       - - Pro Met Pro Leu Tyr Ser Leu Ser Leu Glu Gl - #u Glu Glu Val Glu Ala           210              - #   215              - #   220                           - - Pro Val Leu Lys Leu Thr Ser Gly Asp Ser Gl - #y Phe His Pro Glu Thr       225                 2 - #30                 2 - #35                 2 -       #40                                                                               - - Thr Asp Gln Val Leu Gln Glu Lys Lys Met Al - #a Leu Leu Thr Leu         Leu                                                                                              245  - #               250  - #               255              - - Cys Ser Ala Leu Ala Ser Asn Val Asn Val Ly - #s Asp Ala Ser Asp Leu                   260      - #           265      - #           270                   - - Thr Arg Ala Ser Ile Leu Glu Val Cys Ser Al - #a Leu Ala Ser Leu Glu               275          - #       280          - #       285                       - - Pro Glu Phe Ile Leu Lys Ala Ser Leu Tyr Al - #a Arg Gln Gln Leu Asn           290              - #   295              - #   300                           - - Leu Arg Asp Ile Ala Asn Thr Val Leu Ala Va - #l Ala Ala Leu Leu Pro       305                 3 - #10                 3 - #15                 3 -       #20                                                                               - - Ala Cys Arg Pro His Val Arg Arg Tyr Tyr Se - #r Ala Ile Val His         Leu                                                                                              325  - #               330  - #               335              - - Pro Ser Asp Trp Ile Gln Val Ala Glu Phe Ty - #r Gln Ser Leu Ala Glu                   340      - #           345      - #           350                   - - Gly Asp Glu Lys Lys Leu Val Ser Leu Pro Al - #a Cys Leu Arg Ala Ala               355          - #       360          - #       365                       - - Met Thr Asp Lys Phe Ala Glu Phe Asp Glu Ty - #r Gln Leu Ala Lys Tyr           370              - #   375              - #   380                           - - Asn Pro Arg Lys His Arg Ser Lys Arg Arg Se - #r Arg Gln Pro Pro Arg       385                 3 - #90                 3 - #95                 4 -       #00                                                                               - - Pro Gln Lys Thr Glu Arg Pro Phe Ser Glu Ar - #g Gly Lys Cys Phe         Pro                                                                                              405  - #               410  - #               415              - - Lys Ser Leu Trp Pro Leu Lys Asn Glu Gln Il - #e Thr Phe Glu Ala Ala                   420      - #           425      - #           430                   - - Tyr Asn Ala Met Pro Glu Lys Asn Arg Leu Pr - #o Arg Phe Thr Leu Lys               435          - #       440          - #       445                       - - Lys Leu Val Glu Tyr Leu His Ile His Lys Pr - #o Ala Gln His Val Gln           450              - #   455              - #   460                           - - Ala Leu Leu Gly Tyr Arg Tyr Pro Ala Thr Le - #u Glu Leu Phe Ser Arg       465                 4 - #70                 4 - #75                 4 -       #80                                                                               - - Ser His Leu Pro Gly Pro Trp Glu Ser Ser Ar - #g Ala Gly Gln Arg         Met                                                                                              485  - #               490  - #               495              - - Lys Leu Arg Arg Pro Glu Thr Trp Glu Arg Gl - #u Leu Ser Leu Arg Gly                   500      - #           505      - #           510                   - - Asn Lys Ala Ser Val Trp Glu Glu Leu Ile As - #p Asn Gly Lys Leu Pro               515          - #       520          - #       525                       - - Phe Met Ala Met Leu Arg Asn Leu Cys Asn Le - #u Leu Arg Thr Gly Ile           530              - #   535              - #   540                           - - Ser Ala Arg His His Glu Leu Val Leu Gln Ar - #g Leu Gln His Glu Lys       545                 5 - #50                 5 - #55                 5 -       #60                                                                               - - Ser Val Val His Ser Arg Gln Phe Pro Phe Ar - #g Phe Leu Asn Ala         His                                                                                              565  - #               570  - #               575              - - Asp Ser Ile Asp Lys Leu Glu Ala Gln Leu Ar - #g Ser Lys Ala Ser Pro                   580      - #           585      - #           590                   - - Phe Pro Ser Asn Thr Thr Leu Met Lys Arg Il - #e Met Ile Arg Asn Ser               595          - #       600          - #       605                       - - Lys Lys Asn Arg Arg Pro Ala Ser Arg Lys Hi - #s Leu Cys Thr Leu Thr           610              - #   615              - #   620                           - - Arg Arg Gln Leu Arg Ala Ala Met Thr Ile Pr - #o Val Met Tyr Glu Gln       625                 6 - #30                 6 - #35                 6 -       #40                                                                               - - Leu Lys Arg Glu Lys Leu Arg Leu His Lys Al - #a Arg Gln Trp Asn         Cys                                                                                              645  - #               650  - #               655              - - Asp Val Glu Leu Leu Glu Arg Tyr Arg Gln Al - #a Leu Glu Thr Ala Val                   660      - #           665      - #           670                   - - Asn Leu Ser Val Lys His Asn Leu Ser Pro Me - #t Pro Gly Arg Thr Leu               675          - #       680          - #       685                       - - Leu Val Tyr Leu Thr Asp Ala Asn Ala Asp Ar - #g Leu Cys Pro Lys Ser           690              - #   695              - #   700                           - - His Ser Gln Gly Pro Pro Leu Asn Tyr Val Le - #u Leu Leu Ile Gly Met       705                 7 - #10                 7 - #15                 7 -       #20                                                                               - - Met Val Ala Arg Ala Glu Gln Val Thr Val Cy - #s Leu Cys Gly Gly         Gly                                                                                              725  - #               730  - #               735              - - Phe Val Lys Thr Pro Val Leu Thr Ala Asp Gl - #u Gly Ile Leu Lys Thr                   740      - #           745      - #           750                   - - Ala Ile Lys Leu Gln Ala Gln Val Gln Glu Le - #u Glu Gly Asn Asp Glu               755          - #       760          - #       765                       - - Trp Pro Leu Asp Thr Phe Gly Lys Tyr Leu Le - #u Ser Leu Ala Val Gln           770              - #   775              - #   780                           - - Arg Thr Pro Ile Asp Arg Val Ile Leu Phe Gl - #y Gln Arg Met Asp Thr       785                 7 - #90                 7 - #95                 8 -       #00                                                                               - - Glu Leu Leu Lys Val Ala Lys Gln Ile Ile Tr - #p Gln His Val Asn         Ser                                                                                              805  - #               810  - #               815              - - Lys Cys Leu Phe Val Gly Val Leu Leu Gln Ly - #s Thr Gln Tyr Ile Ser                   820      - #           825      - #           830                   - - Pro Asn Leu Asn Pro Asn Asp Val Thr Leu Se - #r Gly Cys Thr Asp Gly               835          - #       840          - #       845                       - - Ile Leu Lys Phe Ile Ala Glu His Gly Ala Se - #r Arg Leu Leu Glu His           850              - #   855              - #   860                           - - Val Gly Gln Leu Asp Lys Leu Phe Lys Ile Pr - #o Pro Pro Pro Gly Lys       865                 8 - #70                 8 - #75                 8 -       #80                                                                               - - Thr Gln Ala Pro Ser Leu Arg Pro Leu Glu Gl - #u Asn Ile Pro Gly         Pro                                                                                              885  - #               890  - #               895              - - Leu Gly Pro Ile Ser Gln His Gly Trp Arg As - #n Ile Arg Leu Phe Ile                   900      - #           905      - #           910                   - - Ser Ser Thr Phe Arg Asp Met His Gly Glu Ar - #g Asp Leu Leu Met Arg               915          - #       920          - #       925                       - - Ser Val Leu Pro Ala Leu Gln Ala Arg Val Ph - #e Pro His Arg Ile Ser           930              - #   935              - #   940                           - - Leu His Ala Ile Asp Leu Arg Trp Gly Ile Th - #r Glu Glu Glu Thr Arg       945                 9 - #50                 9 - #55                 9 -       #60                                                                               - - Arg Asn Arg Gln Leu Glu Val Cys Leu Gly Gl - #u Val Glu Asn Ser         Gln                                                                                              965  - #               970  - #               975              - - Leu Phe Val Gly Ile Leu Gly Ser Arg Tyr Gl - #y Tyr Ile Pro Pro Ser                   980      - #           985      - #           990                   - - Tyr Asp Leu Pro Asp His Pro His Phe His Tr - #p Thr His Glu Tyr Pro               995          - #       1000          - #      1005                      - - Ser Gly Arg Ser Val Thr Glu Met Glu Val Me - #t Gln Phe Leu Asn Arg           1010             - #   1015              - #  1020                          - - Gly Gln Arg Ser Gln Pro Ser Ala Gln Ala Le - #u Ile Tyr Phe Arg Asp       1025                1030 - #                1035 - #               1040         - - Pro Asp Phe Leu Ser Ser Val Pro Asp Ala Tr - #p Lys Pro Asp Phe Ile                       1045 - #               1050  - #              1055              - - Ser Glu Ser Glu Glu Ala Ala His Arg Val Se - #r Glu Leu Lys Arg Tyr                   1060     - #           1065      - #          1070                  - - Leu His Glu Gln Lys Glu Val Thr Cys Arg Se - #r Tyr Ser Cys Glu Trp               1075         - #       1080          - #      1085                      - - Gly Gly Val Ala Ala Gly Arg Pro Tyr Thr Gl - #y Gly Leu Glu Glu Phe           1090             - #   1095              - #  1100                          - - Gly Gln Leu Val Leu Gln Asp Val Trp Ser Me - #t Ile Gln Lys Gln His       1105                1110 - #                1115 - #               1120         - - Leu Gln Pro Gly Ala Gln Leu Glu Gln Pro Th - #r Ser Ile Ser Glu Asp                       1125 - #               1130  - #              1135              - - Asp Leu Ile Gln Thr Ser Phe Gln Gln Leu Ly - #s Thr Pro Thr Ser Pro                   1140     - #           1145      - #          1150                  - - Ala Arg Pro Arg Leu Leu Gln Asp Thr Val Gl - #n Gln Leu Leu Leu Pro               1155         - #       1160          - #      1165                      - - His Gly Arg Leu Ser Leu Val Thr Gly Gln Al - #a Gly Gln Gly Lys Thr           1170             - #   1175              - #  1180                          - - Ala Phe Leu Ala Ser Leu Val Ser Ala Leu Ly - #s Val Pro Asp Gln Pro       1185                1190 - #                1195 - #               1200         - - Asn Glu Pro Pro Phe Val Phe Phe His Phe Al - #a Ala Ala Arg Pro Asp                       1205 - #               1210  - #              1215              - - Gln Cys Leu Ala Leu Asn Leu Leu Arg Arg Le - #u Cys Thr His Leu Arg                   1220     - #           1225      - #          1230                  - - Gln Lys Leu Gly Glu Leu Ser Ala Leu Pro Se - #r Thr Tyr Arg Gly Leu               1235         - #       1240          - #      1245                      - - Val Trp Glu Leu Gln Gln Lys Leu Leu Leu Ly - #s Phe Ala Gln Ser Leu           1250             - #   1255              - #  1260                          - - Gln Pro Ala Gln Thr Leu Val Leu Ile Ile As - #p Gly Ala Asp Lys Leu       1265                1270 - #                1275 - #               1280         - - Val Asp Arg Asn Gly Gln Leu Ile Ser Asp Tr - #p Ile Pro Lys Ser Leu                       1285 - #               1290  - #              1295              - - Pro Arg Arg Val His Leu Val Leu Ser Val Se - #r Ser Asp Ser Gly Leu                   1300     - #           1305      - #          1310                  - - Gly Glu Thr Leu Gln Gln Ser Gln Gly Ala Ty - #r Val Val Ala Leu Gly               1315         - #       1320          - #      1325                      - - Ser Leu Val Pro Ser Ser Arg Ala Gln Leu Va - #l Arg Glu Glu Leu Ala           1330             - #   1335              - #  1340                          - - Leu Tyr Gly Lys Arg Leu Glu Glu Ser Pro Ph - #e Asn Asn Gln Met Arg       1345                1350 - #                1355 - #               1360         - - Leu Leu Leu Ala Lys Gln Gly Ser Ser Leu Pr - #o Leu Tyr Leu His Leu                       1365 - #               1370  - #              1375              - - Val Thr Asp Tyr Leu Arg Leu Phe Thr Leu Ty - #r Glu Gln Val Ser Glu                   1380     - #           1385      - #          1390                  - - Arg Leu Arg Thr Leu Pro Ala Thr Leu Pro Le - #u Leu Leu Gln His Ile               1395         - #       1400          - #      1405                      - - Leu Ser Thr Leu Glu Gln Glu His Gly His As - #p Val Leu Pro Gln Ala           1410             - #   1415              - #  1420                          - - Leu Thr Ala Leu Glu Val Thr Arg Ser Gly Le - #u Thr Val Asp Gln Leu       1425                1430 - #                1435 - #               1440         - - His Ala Ile Leu Ser Thr Trp Leu Ile Leu Pr - #o Lys Glu Thr Lys Ser                       1445 - #               1450  - #              1455              - - Trp Glu Glu Val Leu Ala Ala Ser His Ser Gl - #y Asn Pro Phe Pro Leu                   1460     - #           1465      - #          1470                  - - Cys Pro Phe Ala Tyr Leu Val Gln Ser Leu Ar - #g Ser Leu Leu Gly Glu               1475         - #       1480          - #      1485                      - - Gly Pro Val Glu Arg Pro Gly Ala Arg Leu Cy - #s Leu Ser Asp Gly Pro           1490             - #   1495              - #  1500                          - - Leu Arg Thr Thr Ile Lys Arg Arg Tyr Gly Ly - #s Arg Leu Gly Leu Glu       1505                1510 - #                1515 - #               1520         - - Lys Thr Ala His Val Leu Ile Ala Ala His Le - #u Trp Lys Thr Cys Asp                       1525 - #               1530  - #              1535              - - Pro Asp Ala Ser Gly Thr Phe Arg Ser Cys Pr - #o Pro Glu Ala Leu Lys                   1540     - #           1545      - #          1550                  - - Asp Leu Pro Tyr His Leu Leu Gln Ser Gly As - #n His Gly Leu Leu Ala               1555         - #       1560          - #      1565                      - - Glu Phe Leu Thr Asn Leu His Val Val Ala Al - #a Tyr Leu Glu Val Gly           1570             - #   1575              - #  1580                          - - Leu Val Pro Asp Leu Leu Glu Ala His Val Le - #u Tyr Ala Ser Ser Lys       1585                1590 - #                1595 - #               1600         - - Pro Glu Ala Asn Gln Lys Leu Pro Ala Ala As - #p Val Ala Val Phe His                       1605 - #               1610  - #              1615              - - Thr Phe Leu Arg Gln Gln Ala Ser Leu Leu Th - #r Gln Tyr Pro Leu Leu                   1620     - #           1625      - #          1630                  - - Leu Leu Gln Gln Ala Ala Ser Gln Pro Glu Gl - #u Ser Pro Val Cys Cys               1635         - #       1640          - #      1645                      - - Gln Ala Pro Leu Leu Thr Gln Arg Trp His As - #p Gln Phe Thr Leu Lys           1650             - #   1655              - #  1660                          - - Trp Ile Asn Lys Pro Gln Thr Leu Lys Gly Gl - #n Gln Ser Leu Ser Leu       1665                1670 - #                1675 - #               1680         - - Thr Met Ser Ser Ser Pro Thr Ala Val Ala Ph - #e Ser Pro Asn Gly Gln                       1685 - #               1690  - #              1695              - - Arg Ala Ala Val Gly Thr Ala Ser Gly Thr Il - #e Tyr Leu Leu Asn Leu                   1700     - #           1705      - #          1710                  - - Lys Thr Trp Gln Glu Glu Lys Ala Val Val Se - #r Gly Cys Asp Gly Ile               1715         - #       1720          - #      1725                      - - Ser Ser Phe Ala Phe Leu Ser Asp Thr Ala Le - #u Phe Leu Thr Thr Phe           1730             - #   1735              - #  1740                          - - Asp Gly His Leu Glu Leu Trp Asp Leu Gln Hi - #s Gly Cys Trp Val Phe       1745                1750 - #                1755 - #               1760         - - Gln Thr Lys Ala His Gln Tyr Gln Ile Thr Gl - #y Cys Cys Leu Ser Pro                       1765 - #               1770  - #              1775              - - Asp Arg Arg Leu Leu Ala Thr Val Cys Leu Gl - #y Gly Tyr Leu Lys Leu                   1780     - #           1785      - #          1790                  - - Trp Asp Thr Val Arg Gly Gln Leu Ala Phe Gl - #n Tyr Thr His Pro Lys               1795         - #       1800          - #      1805                      - - Ser Leu Asn Cys Val Ala Phe His Pro Glu Gl - #y Gln Val Val Ala Thr           1810             - #   1815              - #  1820                          - - Gly Ser Trp Ala Gly Ser Ile Thr Phe Phe Gl - #n Ala Asp Gly Leu Lys       1825                1830 - #                1835 - #               1840         - - Val Thr Lys Glu Leu Gly Ala Pro Gly Pro Se - #r Val Cys Ser Leu Ala                       1845 - #               1850  - #              1855              - - Phe Asn Lys Pro Gly Lys Ile Val Ala Val Gl - #y Arg Ile Asp Gly Thr                   1860     - #           1865      - #          1870                  - - Val Glu Leu Trp Ala Trp Gln Glu Gly Ala Ar - #g Leu Ala Ala Phe Pro               1875         - #       1880          - #      1885                      - - Ala Gln Cys Gly Cys Val Ser Ala Val Leu Ph - #e Leu His Ala Gly Asp           1890             - #   1895              - #  1900                          - - Arg Phe Leu Thr Ala Gly Glu Asp Gly Lys Al - #a Gln Leu Trp Ser Gly       1905                1910 - #                1915 - #               1920         - - Phe Leu Gly Arg Pro Arg Gly Cys Leu Gly Se - #r Leu Pro Leu Ser Pro                       1925 - #               1930  - #              1935              - - Ala Leu Ser Val Ala Leu Asn Pro Asp Gly As - #p Gln Val Ala Val Gly                   1940     - #           1945      - #          1950                  - - Tyr Arg Glu Asp Gly Ile Asn Ile Tyr Lys Il - #e Ser Ser Gly Ser Gln               1955         - #       1960          - #      1965                      - - Gly Pro Gln His Gln Glu Leu Asn Val Ala Va - #l Ser Ala Leu Val Trp           1970             - #   1975              - #  1980                          - - Leu Ser Pro Ser Val Leu Val Ser Gly Ala Gl - #u Asp Gly Ser Leu His       1985                1990 - #                1995 - #               2000         - - Gly Trp Met Phe Lys Gly Asp Ser Leu His Se - #r Leu Trp Leu Leu Ser                       2005 - #               2010  - #              2015              - - Arg Tyr Gln Lys Pro Val Leu Gly Leu Ala Al - #a Ser Arg Glu Leu Met                   2020     - #           2025      - #          2030                  - - Ala Ala Ala Ser Glu Asp Phe Thr Val Arg Le - #u Trp Pro Arg Gln Leu               2035         - #       2040          - #      2045                      - - Leu Thr Gln Pro His Val His Ala Val Glu Le - #u Pro Cys Cys Ala Glu           2050             - #   2055              - #  2060                          - - Leu Arg Gly His Glu Gly Pro Val Cys Cys Cy - #s Ser Phe Ser Pro Asp       2065                2070 - #                2075 - #               2080         - - Gly Gly Ile Leu Ala Thr Ala Gly Arg Asp Ar - #g Asn Leu Leu Cys Trp                       2085 - #               2090  - #              2095              - - Asp Met Lys Ile Ala Gln Ala Pro Leu Leu Il - #e His Thr Phe Ser Ser                   2100     - #           2105      - #          2110                  - - Cys His Arg Asp Trp Ile Thr Gly Cys Ala Tr - #p Thr Lys Asp Asn Ile               2115         - #       2120          - #      2125                      - - Leu Val Ser Cys Ser Ser Asp Gly Ser Val Gl - #y Leu Trp Asn Pro Glu           2130             - #   2135              - #  2140                          - - Ala Gly Gln Gln Leu Gly Gln Phe Ser Gly Hi - #s Gln Ser Ala Val Ser       2145                2150 - #                2155 - #               2160         - - Ala Val Val Ala Val Glu Glu His Ile Val Se - #r Val Ser Arg Asp Gly                       2165 - #               2170  - #              2175              - - Thr Leu Lys Val Trp Asp His Gln Gly Val Gl - #u Leu Thr Ser Ile Pro                   2180     - #           2185      - #          2190                  - - Ala His Ser Gly Pro Ile Ser Gln Cys Ala Al - #a Ala Leu Glu Pro Arg               2195         - #       2200          - #      2205                      - - Pro Gly Gly Gln Pro Gly Ser Glu Leu Leu Va - #l Val Thr Val Gly Leu           2210             - #   2215              - #  2220                          - - Asp Gly Ala Thr Lys Leu Trp His Pro Leu Le - #u Val Cys Gln Ile Arg       2225                2230 - #                2235 - #               2240         - - Thr Leu Gln Gly His Ser Gly Pro Val Thr Al - #a Ala Ala Ala Ser Glu                       2245 - #               2250  - #              2255              - - Ala Ser Gly Leu Leu Leu Thr Ser Asp Asp Se - #r Ser Val Gln Leu Trp                   2260     - #           2265      - #          2270                  - - Gln Ile Pro Lys Glu Ala Asp Asp Ser Tyr Ly - #s Pro Arg Ser Ser Val               2275         - #       2280          - #      2285                      - - Ala Ile Thr Ala Val Ala Trp Ala Pro Asp Gl - #y Ser Met Val Val Ser           2290             - #   2295              - #  2300                          - - Gly Asn Glu Ala Gly Glu Leu Thr Leu Trp Gl - #n Gln Ala Lys Ala Val       2305                2310 - #                2315 - #               2320         - - Ala Thr Ala Gln Ala Pro Gly Arg Val Ser Hi - #s Leu Ile Trp Tyr Ser                       2325 - #               2330  - #              2335              - - Ala Asn Ser Phe Phe Val Leu Ser Ala Asn Gl - #u Asn Val Ser Glu Trp                   2340     - #           2345      - #          2350                  - - Gln Val Gly Leu Arg Lys Gly Ser Thr Ser Th - #r Ser Ser Ser Leu His               2355         - #       2360          - #      2365                      - - Leu Lys Arg Val Leu Gln Glu Asp Trp Gly Va - #l Leu Thr Gly Leu Gly           2370             - #   2375              - #  2380                          - - Leu Ala Pro Asp Gly Gln Ser Leu Ile Leu Me - #t Lys Glu Asp Val Glu       2385                2390 - #                2395 - #               2400         - - Leu Leu Glu Met Lys Pro Gly Ser Ile Pro Se - #r Ser Ile Cys Arg Arg                       2405 - #               2410  - #              2415              - - Tyr Gly Val His Ser Ser Ile Leu Cys Thr Se - #r Lys Glu Tyr Gly Leu                   2420     - #           2425      - #          2430                  - - Phe Tyr Leu Gln Gln Gly Asp Ser Gly Leu Le - #u Ser Ile Leu Glu Gln               2435         - #       2440          - #      2445                      - - Lys Glu Ser Gly Glu Phe Glu Glu Ile Leu As - #p Phe Asn Leu Asn Leu           2450             - #   2455              - #  2460                          - - Asn Asn Pro Asn Gly Ser Pro Val Ser Ile Th - #r Gln Ala Lys Pro Glu       2465                2470 - #                2475 - #               2480         - - Ser Glu Ser Ser Leu Leu Cys Ala Thr Ser As - #p Gly Met Leu Trp Asn                       2485 - #               2490  - #              2495              - - Leu Ser Glu Cys Thr Ser Glu Gly Glu Trp Il - #e Val Asp Asn Ile Trp                   2500     - #           2505      - #          2510                  - - Gln Lys Lys Ala Lys Lys Pro Lys Thr Gln Th - #r Leu Glu Thr Glu Leu               2515         - #       2520          - #      2525                      - - Ser Pro His Ser Glu Leu Asp Phe Ser Ile As - #p Cys Trp Ile Asp Pro           2530             - #   2535              - #  2540                          - - Thr Asn Leu Lys Ala Gln Gln Cys Lys Lys Il - #e His Leu Gly Ser Val       2545                2550 - #                2555 - #               2560         - - Thr Ala Leu His Val Leu Pro Gly Leu Leu Va - #l Thr Ala Ser Lys Asp                       2565 - #               2570  - #              2575              - - Arg Asp Val Lys Leu Trp Glu Arg Pro Ser Me - #t Gln Leu Leu Gly Leu                   2580     - #           2585      - #          2590                  - - Phe Arg Cys Glu Gly Pro Val Ser Cys Leu Gl - #u Pro Trp Met Glu Pro               2595         - #       2600          - #      2605                      - - Ser Ser Pro Leu Gln Leu Ala Val Gly Asp Th - #r Gln Gly Asn Leu Tyr           2610             - #   2615              - #  2620                          - - Phe Leu Ser Trp Glu                                                       2625                                                                            - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:5:                                      - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 26 base - #pairs                                                   (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                  - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: other nucleic acid                                          (A) DESCRIPTION: /desc - #= "oligo nucleotide"                        - -     (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:5:                                - - CCTCTGCGGC CGCTACANNN NNNNNT          - #                  - #                   26                                                                       - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:6:                                      - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 14 base - #pairs                                                   (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                  - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: other nucleic acid                                          (A) DESCRIPTION: /desc - #= "oligo nucleotide"                        - -     (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:6:                                - - GGAGACGCCG GCGA              - #                  - #                       - #     14                                                                    - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:7:                                      - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 16 base - #pairs                                                   (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                  - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: other nucleic acid                                          (A) DESCRIPTION: /desc - #= "oligo nucleotide"                        - -     (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:7:                                - - TCGACCCACG CGTCCG             - #                  - #                       - #    16                                                                    - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:8:                                      - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 12 base - #pairs                                                   (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                  - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: other nucleic acid                                          (A) DESCRIPTION: /desc - #= "oligo nucleotide"                        - -     (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:8:                                - - GGGTGCGCAG GC              - #                  - #                       - #       12                                                                    - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:9:                                      - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 18 base - #pairs                                                   (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                  - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: other nucleic acid                                          (A) DESCRIPTION: /desc - #= "oligo nucleotide"                        - -     (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:9:                                - - TGTAAAACGA CGGCCAGT             - #                  - #                       - #  18                                                                    - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:10:                                     - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 18 base - #pairs                                                   (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                  - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: other nucleic acid                                          (A) DESCRIPTION: /desc - #= "oligo nucleotide"                        - -     (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:10:                               - - CAGGAAACAG CTATGACC             - #                  - #                       - #  18                                                                    - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:11:                                     - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 19 base - #pairs                                                   (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                  - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: other nucleic acid                                          (A) DESCRIPTION: /desc - #= "oligo nucleotide"                        - -     (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:11:                               - - CAATTAACCC TCACTAAAG             - #                  - #                       - # 19                                                                    - -  - - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:12:                                     - -      (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 154 base - #pairs                                                  (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                  - -     (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: other nucleic acid                                          (A) DESCRIPTION: /desc - #= "oligo nucleotide"                        - -     (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:12:                               - - GGTACCGCCA GCCGAGCCAC ATCGCTCAGA CACCATGATC GCAAATGTGA AT -              #ATTGCTCA     60                                                                  - - GGAACAAAAG CTTATTTCTG AAGAAGACTT GGCTCAGGAA CAAAAGCTTA TT -             #TCTGAAGA    120                                                                  - - AGACTTGGCT CAGCAGAGTG GCGGAGGACT CGAG       - #                  -      #       154                                                                    __________________________________________________________________________ 

We claim:
 1. A TRIP1 polypeptide selected from the group consisting ofa) the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:3; b) the polypeptide that is amino acids 1-871 of SEQ ID NO:3; c) the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:4; d) a polypeptide having one or more conservative amino acid substitutions as compared with SEQ ID NO:3 or SEQ ID NO:4, wherein such polypeptide retains similar binding activity to telomerase RNA as SEQ ID NO:3 or SEQ ID NO:4; e) a polypeptide encoded by the complement of a nucleic acid molecule that remains hybridized under washing conditions of 0.2× SSC and 0.1 percent SDS at 55-65° C. to the nucleic acid molecule of SEQ ID NOS. 1 or 2, wherein such polypeptide binds telomerase RNA; and f) fragments of any of the polypeptides of a)-e) above, wherein such fragments bind telomerase RNA.
 2. A TRIP1 polypeptide that is the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:3 or a biologically active fragment thereof.
 3. The TRIP1 polypeptide of claim 1 that does not possess an amino terminal methionine.
 4. A TRIP1 polypeptide that is the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:4 or a biologically active fragment thereof.
 5. A TRIP1 polypeptide that is amino acids 1-871 of SEQ ID NO:3 or a biologically active fragment thereof. 